The Other Side of the Story
by Booklady1017
Summary: What if the story of Emma, Snow, Regina and the fairy tale characters of Storybrooke is just a dream? However Henry's real life parallels somewhat the story we see on OUAT. Versions of Emma, Snow and others are in story.
1. Chapter 1

Once Upon A Time Fan Fiction:

The Other Side of the Story

Chapter 1

_He saw the big beautiful white house. It looked like one of the homes in one of  
>those Better Homes and Gardens magazine. Usually he would be sitting in front<br>of the fireplace or in his cozy bedroom reading a gorgeously illustrated book  
>of fairy tales. His mother would bring him in his hot chocolate with cinnamon,<br>which she personally thought was gross but she knew he liked it. She sometimes  
>though he spent too much time reading the book. She thought he should get out<br>more and make friends his age. He always thought his mom was beautiful with her  
>rich and thick dark hair and luminous eyes. They looked nothing alike but that<br>was okay, he knew he was adopted. His mom was raising him alone and he had no  
>father. She was one of those proud single moms who was curiously able to find a<br>good balance between work and raising a child. His mom Regina, has been the  
>mayor of Storybrooke for as long as he could remember. Strangely enough he<br>couldn't remember anyone running against her._

_An attractive young pregnant princess and her husband, the prince were panicking.  
>The princess said, "We must move quickly before the curse is cast, so both the<br>baby and I can go into the wardrobe". Suddenly the princess was struck with labor  
>pains and couldn't speak. The prince said, "I'm afraid we are not going to have<br>enough time. What are we going to do?"_

Augusta, Maine Present Day

Each morning Henry would wake up on the rickety old sofa bed in the drafty and old apartment he shared with his mother, Emma. He looked on the bed for his book. It must have fallen on the floor during the night. He slowly got out of the bed and looked for the book. He sawthe title "Once Upon a Time" staring back at him in red letters. His mother hadlaughed when Henry saw the book at a garage sale when he was 7 years old. Henry saw that the book was only 20 cents. His mom said that she thought the book belonged to some prissy little girl who got tired of her childhood things and ordered her parents to get rid of the stuff and was making its rounds from garage sale to garage sale. Yet she had no problem with buying Henry the book. When they were at home that night Henry pointed out that there were initials inside, MMB. Emma liked to make up stories about MMB who she named Millicent Morgan Bailey and had a horse named Horace and about her birthday parties with a carousel, carnival rides and a petting zoo. Each night before bed Henry would read the stories in the book. He liked to imagine that the maincharacters were his family or friends. The Evil Queen from Snow White, was really his rich and successful mother who was misunderstood. Snow White was his beautiful and caring aunt who was always there for him whenever he needed 'd dream about them and how he lived in a town made of fairy tale also found out he was adopted and his mother was the long lost daughter of Snow White. But each morning he'd wake up to his bleak reality that it was just his mother and him in their dreary and lonely apartment. Often his mother was not home as she worked two jobs, one as a waitress in a diner and another as a maid in the inn next door. He would come to the diner after school and do his homework there and eat there too. When his mom went to his second job, he would stay at Granny's house (the owner of the diner) and hang out with Granny andher granddaughter. Granny wasn't her real name but she insisted that everyone call her that. Ruby is her granddaughter, a sweet but somewhat lazy young ladywho was more interested in chasing after boys than helping out at her grandmother's restaurant. But she was very nice to Henry and would help him with his homework. School was difficult as Henry was short and always picked on. He tried to keep his head low and not talk much. Sometimes that would work but other times it would make the kids want to pick on him more.

Granny loved to watch the news after she finished with the dinner shift. She would make sure she took a break to watch the news before she went back to oversee the cleanup at the diner. Henry tried to help clean up whenever he could. Granny got Henry into the news. In a way,it was another escape from reality for him, like the fairy tale book. He loved to follow the exploits of local mayor Regina Mills and the mysterious mob connected Mr. Gold. It was no surprise that she appeared in his dreams as his mother as he was fascinated by her. He loved his mom dearly but Regina was exciting. She was depicted as corrupt and evil but he felt that the media exaggerated the truth and that she was given a bad rap. He followed the story of Regina from when she was a child. She was the eldest child of Senator Howard Mills and his wife Cora.


	2. Chapter 2

The Other Side of the Story

Chapter 2

1972-Beacon Hill, Boston

"The three of us are finally going to the ballet tonight, to see the Nutcracker Suite", said Howard to his daughter Regina and his wife Cora. "I cannot wait. I'm going to wear my new pink dress and black mary janes for the ballet", said Regina. It was an amazing night. Regina loved the dancers and the music and spending time with her mother and father. She didn't get to spend a lot of time with her father since he was a  
>powerful and busy Massachussets senator. That was the last happy memory she had of her parents.<p>

1976-Beacon Hill, Boston

"Where's daddy?" said Regina. "I don't know. He just didn't come last night. It's not like he left a note or anything", said Cora.

1976, Beacon Hill, Boston

The ballet was the last happy memory Regina had for a long time. The past two years were torture. People would point at her and talk about her behind her back. She was "that girl", the daughter of the scandal ridden Mills family. It was said that her mother cheated on her father with one or as rumor had it, several of his interns. It was said that when he found out about it, he threatened divorce and custody of his daughter and she would be lucky if she saw a cent from him. However while Cora and Howard got a divorce, Cora ended up with custody of her daughter and a very generous alimony settlement. It was said that Cora must have dug up some dirt on Howard. While Howard was a stand up politician and family man, like most other people, he had a past. Cora said that Howard must agree to her terms or she would expose his dirty secrets. And the fact is that Cora didn't really want Regina, but she thought having custody of a daughter would make her look more sympathetic to the general public and more specifically to men. Cora wasn't mean to Regina but she did not pay much attention to her either. She shipped Regina off to a boarding school and only saw her during holidays. She got to visit her father every so often, but those visits decreased once her father remarried his younger wife Erica and they had two children. Regina was surprised when she got a phone call at the school from her mom telling her she should come home in two weeks because she was getting married and she was going to Maine to live with her mother, new stepfather and step sister.

1976, Silver Brook, Maine

The new stepfather was Congressman Lucas Blanchard of Maine. While her father was a Democrat, her new father was a Republican. Her new step-sister was 8 year old Mary Margaret. Her stepfather had been widowed from his wife for two years. She died of cancer when Mary Margaret was in first grade. Regina wasn't crazy about being in the boarding school but she adjusted and made a lot of friends and more importantly she was away from her mother. She was worried what things would be like forced to live with her mother. When her mother was married to her dad she ignored her mainly and her dad when available spent time with her, reading her stories and taking her to the park. She would likely be the odd one out. Her mother would have her new husband and daughter and they would probably all ignore her. If she was going to be ignored, she wanted to be with her friends who liked and respected her. Her stepfather was nice to her but she was not around much because he was either in Augusta or Washington D.C. to fulfill his duties as a Congressman. Her mother expected Regina to have Mary Margaret

hang out with her friends and entertain her on weekends. Mary Margaret did have a nanny and they had a maid, so she wasn't expected to cook, clean, help with her homework or take her to her activities, but she had very little free time to herself as she always had to be with Mary Margaret. She figured she would hate Mary Margaret as she was likely a spoiled and annoying child. Surprisingly Mary Margaret was nice. She would try to do her own activities when she was with her friends or she would read her book in the park when Regina would hang  
>out with her friends. She noticed it was always the same book. It was an old fashioned looking book of fairy tales called "Once Upon a Time". Mary Margaret commented that her mother gave it to her for her 6th birthday. When Regina was 14 and Mary Margaret was 10, they became closer. Regina would do her hair and would try on makeup and pretend to be society ladies. Mary Margaret made Regina laugh because Regina would always try to be haughty and spoiled as a society lady but Mary Margaret would pretend to head up some fantastic charity event and save the dogs and the like. Regina was popular. She became a cheerleader in ninth grade and class president in 10th grade. During 9th and 10th grade, she would date the same type of guys,the jocks and the popular rich kids, sons of politicians or corporate executives.<p>

1980, Silver Brook, Maine

But things changed as Regina met Daniel, a guy very different from her previousboyfriends. Daniel was the mysterious new guy who transferred to her high school from Cincinnati, Ohio. Not much was known about him except that he was poor and a stable boy for the exclusive Silver Brook Country Club Horse Farm. It was rumored that his mom was a drug addict and his dad left when he was a baby and that he basically raised himself from the age of 12. His aunt found out the type of situation he was in and decided to take him in her home. His

Aunt Sandy lived in Silver Brook. Daniel was hardworking and loved science, especially biology. Regina met him when they became lab partners in her Advanced Placement Biology class. Despite the fact that he was well mannered and hard working, she knew her mother would not approve of him because he was poor and came from a "bad family". They dated in secret. Even Mary Margaret did not know about him.


	3. Review

This is not a new chapter but just a post to thank all of you who read my story. Specifically I would like to thank Zizhunwriter for the generous review. Please keep the reviews coming and favorite it if you like. Also I always welcome feedback. Thanks again.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
>The Other Side of the Story<p>

1980, Silver Brooke, Maine

One day Regina decided to surprise Daniel at his job after school. She appeared behind him, covered his eyes, and said, "Guess who?". Daniel turned around and smiled and kissed Regina. "I just saw your sister, Mary Margaret," said Daniel. "Shoot! Is she here today?" said Regina. "Uh yes, she comes for lessons every Thursday," said Daniel. "Is she still here?" said Regina. "Yes, but as I said you do not have to worry about her. She would not rat you out to your mom," said Daniel.

"Hi Regina and Daniel! So you guys are dating?" said Mary Margaret. "Yes, but you must not say a word to my mom," said Regina. "Believe me I won't. I think you both make a great couple and I would not want your mom to get in the way of that," said Mary Margaret. "Thank goodness," said Regina. "Usually Daniel lets me feed the horses now, but if you want some time alone, I can read my book," said Mary Margaret. "Thanks Mary Margaret. I appreciate it," said Regina.

Later that week, Regina and Daniel stayed after school to work on their science project. After they were done Regina walked outside with Daniel and was talking and laughing. Little did they know that Regina's mom Cora drove by on the way back home from her trainer. Luckily she had missed the kiss between Daniel and Regina.

Later that evening when Regina was taking a shower Cora pulled Mary Margaret aside. She knew it would be a bad idea to confront Regina because she was not a 100% sure it was true. And even if it was, Regina would lie to her and they would get in a fight. Mary Margaret being as young as she is lacked guile and was easily manipulated. "Mary Margaret, I am worried about Regina!" said Cora. "Why, is she ok?" said Mary Margaret. "Is she dating this boy from her school? I do not know his name but he is tall and lean with dark hair," said Cora. "I am not sure who you are talking about?" said Mary Margaret. "Yes you...I mean I would think she would confide in you," said Cora. "Let me be honest here. I was driving past the school today and saw Regina awfully close to this guy. I am worried because he looks like a guy from the wrong tracks. The type of guy who would get a girl pregnant and leave her. If Regina gets pregnant she would be resentful of everyone because she would not be able to go to college and live her dream life," said Cora. Mary Margaret looked skeptical. "Look I am talking from experience. This happened to a close friend in high school. But she was poor and her parents kicked her out of their house. That would not happen to Regina but she would not get to enjoy the rest of her childhood and college years," said Cora. "Ok, fine, I will tell you," said Mary Margaret. 


	5. Review 2

Just to let you know I am in the midst of writing chapter 4. I have it half way done. I will do my best to post it no later than Sunday. Thanks for your patience. And please review and let me know what you think.


	6. Chapter 4

**Thank you all for your patience. I am happy to finally get out chapter 4. Zizhunwriter had a great question: ** **So, why are a lot of the events in the real world similar to events in Henry's book? Did Mary Margaret write it, or is there another explanation? Anyway, this is really great so far. Can't wait to read more. I have some ideas but I am not 100% sure yet what direction to take regarding the book of fairy tales, so I will address it but later. Anyhow hope you are enjoying and please review. Thank you!  
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"Who is this guy you been dating," said Cora. "What guy? I have no idea what you are talking about?" said Regina. "Don't play dumb, I saw you guys together after school yesterday", said Cora. "My science project partner, Daniel?" said Regina. "He's just a friend and we are working on a school assignment together". "I have evidence to the contrary", said Cora. "What are you talking about?" said Regina. "I had my doubts so I asked Mary Margaret and she confirmed it for me", said Cora. "She wouldn't do that. You are lying!" said Regina. "I'm afraid not", said Cora. "I don't believe you!" said Regina. "I'll prove it," said Cora. "Mary Margaret, could you come here for a second," said Cora. Mary Margaret looked very pale and was quiet. "Ok", said Mary Margaret. "Mary Margaret, didn't you br /tell me that Regina was dating that guy Daniel?" said Cora. Mary Margaret looked at the floor and mumbled "yes". "I don't think Regina heard you", said Cora. "Did you say something?" said Mary Margaret. "Don't play dumb", said Cora. "You are scaring her", said Regina. "Is it true Mary Margaret or is my mom trying to brow beat you into lying to me?" Mary Margaret started crying and said, "I'm sorry, it is true." "I can't talk to any of you right now. I am going to bed", said Regina.

Regina ignored everyone at breakfast. Luckily Mary Margaret's father was not there, so no one was going to ask any questions. Mary Margaret did try to talk to her once, but Regina glared at her and Mary Margaret shut up. Regina waved to Daniel at school but didn't talk to him much. During science class, she slipped him a note that explained what happened and how they would have to date in secret. They were lucky; no one else was using the science lab after school that day. "Maybe this will all blow over in a month or two and we won't have to date in secret anymore," said Daniel. "You obviously don't know my mother very well. Are you okay with this"? said Regina. "I want to be with you, so yes I am". "Watch out for my mom", said Regina. "I don't trust her". "Don't worry", said Daniel. "I always worry", said Regina. "It's a habit of living with my mom".

Later that evening, Cora cornered Regina. "We need to talk", Cora said. "I'm busy. I have a lot of homework", said Regina as she scowled at her mother. "This cannot wait. Listen, you think I am hurting you but I am trying to do what is best for you", said Cora. "You don't want me to be happy", said Regina. "Not true. I don't want the same thing to happen to you that happened to my friend", said Cora. "What? Get pregnant?" said Regina. "You never made such a big deal before about this. Is it because he is poor? Because you are biased and wrong!" said Regina. "Drop the act! You are probably using this as an excuse because you just don't want me dating him," said Regina. "Listen. You can do a lot better. In fact, Roger Michaels, the CEO of RM Corp is invited to dinner this Friday with his son Eric", said Cora. "Eric Michaels. Doesn't he have some sort of bad reputation?" said Regina. "People like to make up rumors about the rich and famous because they are jealous", said Cora. "Well, I'm busy then", said Regina. "You will be there or you will regret it", said Cora. "Fine, but I don't have to like it", said Regina.

The next day after school, Daniel went to his job at the stables. One of his coworkers came to him and said that a lady wants to speak to you. He thought it was not probably Regina, because they would have called her a girl. Before he had a chance to think about it more, he heard a voice say, "We got to talk". "Do I know you"? said Daniel. "No we haven't met but I heard all about you", said Cora. "I didn't realize you are cuter than they described". "Said who?",said Daniel. "Oh my friends. They told me to recommend you for riding lessons", said Cora. "Oh so you are my 3 o'clock today", said Daniel. "I'm a little nervous, so could you help me on the horse", said Cora. "No need to be afraid, but okay", said Daniel. Daniel took Cora out on a placid mare for about 45 minutes. She knew that Regina came with Mary Margaret for her lessons, but now she knew the real reason why she came. When she spotted Regina, she gave Daniel a big kiss. Daniel jumped back and exclaimed, "What was that about. Stay away from me". "What is going on here"? said Regina. "This woman just tried to seduce me. And I want nothing to do with her. She could make me lose my job", said Daniel. "I believe you. And this woman is my mother, Cora", said Regina. "Of all the nerve", said Cora as she left. "I'm sorry about that. Sounds just like br something my mother would do", said Regina. "She probably did it to make me /think my mother and you had a thing". "Believe me, I would never go for someone like that, especially when I have someone like you", said Daniel. "You are so sweet. That is why I love you", said Regina. "Did you just say `I love you`?" said Daniel. "Um, I didn't realize I said the last part out loud", said Regina. "Anyhow I must be going". "Listen I am sorry your mom upset you. I don't want you to leave and I love you too", said Daniel. Regina hugged Daniel and gave him a half smile. She stayed but she could not help worrying the whole time. In fact, Mary Margaret was shocked that instead of scowling at her, Regina said a quiet "hi" when she said hi to her.

The next day Daniel saw Cora return to the stables. "Listen, I don't want any trouble. Please just leave", said Daniel. Cora just laughed and said, "Why you don't want me to leave, it is your lucky day"! "What are you talking about",said Daniel. "You don't want this job. I can make it happen that you can start elsewhere, open your own stable if you want", said Cora. "Let's see, you are going to pay me off to break up with your daughter and leave town", said Daniel. "Well when you say it like that, it sounds cold", said Cora. "I'm just trying to help. You are young. You will get over Regina and find someone else". "Even if I would consider it, I am not going to leave my aunt", said Daniel. "Don't you think she would appreciate the sacrifice you would be making with the extra money you guys would have?" said Cora. "Family is more important to us than money", said Daniel. "Well you are going to regret this!" said Cora coldly.


	7. Chapter 5

Chp 5

The Next Day

Regina decided to stop by and see Daniel even though it wasn't the usual day she went to the stables. She was surprised to find out he was not there. She went to ask one of his employees and found out he had to leave his job (maybe temporarily) due to an investigation. Regina rushed to find a pay phone and called Daniel at home. His aunt answered the phone and said, "Hello, who is it"? "Hi. It is Regina, "said Regina. "Oh it's you. You are the reason he may have lost his job", said the aunt. "What? No. What happened" , said Regina. "Your mother filed a report that Daniel tried to seduce her on the job. Why don't you do us both a favor and just leave Daniel alone. You caused him enough trouble as it is", said the aunt. "But, you don't understand. Please let me talk to him", said Regina. "He doesn't want to talk to anyone right now", said the aunt. "Please!" said Regina. "No", said the aunt and she hung up on Regina.

Regina was furious and she went home to find her mother. She wasn't there only Johanna and Mary Margaret. She scowled at them and went upstairs to her room and cried. Finally Cora came home and Regina went downstairs to confront her. "You couldn't leave things alone could you?", said Regina. "What you are not even dressed for your date tonight", said Cora. "You choose to ignore what you did. I'm not going out on any date. I'm out of here", said Regina. Regina ran out of the house and snuck out to Daniel's house. She threw some pebbles at his window. He came to the window and opened it. "Regina, what are you doing here?" said Daniel. "Listen, I know you don't want to talk to me right now, but I really need to talk to you", said Regina. "I never said I didn't want to talk to you. Where did you get that idea"? said Daniel. "I got it from your aunt. She said that you didn't want to talk to me", said Regina. "When did you talk to my aunt"? said Daniel. "Earlier this afternoon, I called", said Regina. "Didn't your aunt tell you"? said Regina. "No. She didn't. And I am not mad at you. She probably just wanted you to think that so you would break up with me", said Daniel. "She doesn't like what your mom is doing to me and is blaming you". "Listen, I know she is upset and worried, but it is not my fault", said Regina. "I know that. Plus I think they may not fire me. I have a good reputation at the stables and well your mom doesn't", said Daniel. "I just think they need to act like they are taking it seriously because she is an important member of the club", said Daniel. "I hope that is the case too but maybe your aunt is right. Either we must break up or run away together", said Regina. "What if we lay low for now and get back together in a few months", said Daniel. "I don't know if I can wait that long", said Regina. "Can you at least come out here and kiss me"? "Yes I can do that, said Daniel.

Monday

At school, Regina discreetly put a note in Daniel's pocket. It read:

Dear Daniel,

I wish you luck today with your job. I know things will go well. I miss you already.

Love, Regina.

After school, Daniel went to the stables. He met with his boss. "We have a verdict. We will not fire you but we need to put you on probation for a week. Which means you cannot work this week and you will be docked pay for this week. If I had it my way, I would not have you be on probation at all, but work as usual, but the board thinks if we do that, Cora may cause trouble for the club", said his boss. "Thank you. This means so much to me", said Daniel. "I'll see you next week",.

The Next Week

On Tuesday, Cora, Regina and Mary Margaret were all sitting down to breakfast. They had the tv on in the background. The news was on. A news reporter said, "Tragedy has struck Silver Brooke. This usually quiet and peaceful town experienced an unexpected death. At the stables, a body was found. Details were not released on his identity except for the fact that is a teenage white male. Regina went pale when she heard the news. Could it be her Daniel? "The young man is believed to be an employee of the stables. More details later as they are available", said the reporter. Regina felt nauseous and went to the sink to throw up. Mary Margaret went to comfort her but Regina ran away and went upstairs and locked the door. She cried. Cora came to the door and said, "Listen there is no way of knowing if that is Daniel. Instead of sulking in your room, you should get ready to go to school". "Seriously"! said Regina. "A person, maybe Daniel died and that is all you can say". "I'm not going to school. I cannot concentrate. What are you going to do, break down the door and drag me to school"? said Regina. "Fine", said Cora. Regina cried on and off during the day. Finally around 2 PM, she felt hungry and decided to grab a quick snack. Then she ran back to the room. At 3:30, Mary Margaret knocked on her door. "Go away", said Regina. "Listen, I know you don't want to talk to me, but I wanted to tell you something", said Mary Margaret. "What"? said Regina. "I heard Daniel was not at school today. I don't know if that means anything but I thought you should know", said Mary Margaret. "Fine. Bye", said Regina. At 5 PM, Regina turned on the TV in her room. She was afraid at what she would hear and see but she had to do it. A news reporter came on and said, "The identity of the young man at the stable is confirmed. It is Daniel Smith, a 17 year old from Silver Brooke High School", said the reporter. "Noo!" screamed Regina. "It is believed that he died from an aneurysm", said the reporter. Regina fell to the floor. Her mother banged on the door, "Regina, are you okay"? said Cora. "You must have heard the news". "Please just let me know you are okay". "I'm okay. Now go away", said Regina. She found the letters Daniel had wrote to her and hugged herself and cried again. The next day Regina came out. She yelled at Mary Margaret and said, "It is your fault. You will pay if it is the last thing you do".


	8. Chapter 9

**It's back to present time. I will be switching back and forth like they do in the show. Someone asked why in this version was Regina so quick to blame Mary Margaret when there was no reason to do so. I think (and like in the show itself) Regina felt powerless to do anything after Daniel died. She couldn't do anything to her mother at the time so she blamed Snow. Yes in this version it appears that there is no one to blame but Regina still feels powerless and feels she must do something. She may fear retaliation from her mother, so she feels more powerful against Snow. Also she is still angry and grieving. **

2014, Augusta, Maine

"Hey mom, did I get a chance to show you my paper from the other day"? said Henry. "Henry please don't run, I just washed the floor in the diner", said Emma. "Sorry. But I got an A on this paper", said Henry. "That's great", said Emma and she hugged Henry. "Listen mom, I have this idea to find the owner of this book", said Henry. "You had that idea before. You mean well but I think it is just some sort of pipe dream. What are you going to put it on Ebay and hope the person who owns the book contacts you to buy it"? said Emma. "That's a great idea mom! Thank you!", said Henry. Before Emma had a chance to say anything he ran upstairs.

He wrote for the ad:

Special one of a kind book of fairy tales. Beautiful cover and illustrations. Price negotiable. He made an account under the name Believer. He asked to borrow Ruby's phone to take a photo of the book to use for the ad. Finally he was ready to hit save.

Then Henry felt a little sad. What if his mother was right, he thought to himself? That he would never find the true owner of the book. He went downstairs and saw his mom. "What's wrong, Henry"? said Emma. "Yeah you are probably right. It is some sort of dream. The true owner would never come for the book", said Henry. "Personally I agree, but since when do you always listen to me" said Emma. "I think either some loony bin pretending to be the owner would claim it or some seller that is definitely not the owner. I don't want you to set yourself up for failure". "I know. But this means so much to me", said Henry. "I know. So if you need any help getting a box or getting to the post office to send it, let me know", said Emma. "Thanks mom", said Henry. He hugged his mom and ran upstairs.

"What has Henry so happy today"? said Granny. "It's about that book again", said Emma. "What now"? said Granny. "Well he wants to find the owner of the book", said Emma. "How does he plan on doing that"? said Granny. "Sell on Ebay", said Emma. "That's not actually a bad idea. Where did he get that idea"? said Granny. "From me", said Emma. "You know though it is not likely he will ever find the true owner and even if he does, it will be a disappointment", said Granny. "I know, but it is important to Henry", said Emma. "I don't want you to get upset. I care about you but I think Henry's obsession over this book and the Blanchards and the Mills is a bit much", said Granny. "I just worry about him. He should be more focused on having friends and doing fun kid things". "That is partly my fault", said Emma. "I cannot afford to put him on sports teams or other activities". "Perhaps but maybe he is so focused on this fantasy world because of what is going on in school", said Granny. "Have you ever checked"? "I have been so busy, but I should have", said Emma. "I hope I haven't made you feel you did not have time to visit Henry's school to find out what is going on", said Granny. "No I am sure if I asked you, you would have said yes. I am just focused on other things like school but I should focus more on Henry. I will call his school on Monday and set up an appointment to talk to his teacher.

A few hours later, Granny came back to talk to Emma. "You had said you were busy with school. Is everything okay with that"? said Granny. "Yes, except for this annoying guy in my class. He is the same guy from my online class I told you about that had the username CaptainHook", said Emma. "Turns out he wasn't lying. He really does have a hook for a hand. But he is a jerk anyhow". "Why"? said Granny. "He's always flirting with me but acting like an immature idiot about it. Plus I don't have time for a boyfriend", said Emma. "Oh but it seems like he likes you but doesn't know the right way to tell you", said Granny. "What are we in high school? Plus he seems just like the type of guys I used to date, like Henry's father", said Emma. "Oh ok," said Granny.

Monday

"Hello. I would like to leave a message for Mrs. Sears to call me back", said Emma. "Yes and whose mother are you"? said the secretary. "Henry. Henry Swan. My name is Emma Swan", said Emma. "Okay. What's your number"? said the secretary. "555-2323", said Emma. "I'll give her the message. Bye", said the secretary. Later that day, Mrs. Sears called Emma. "Hi, are you Ms. Swan", said the teacher. "Yes. Mrs. Sears"? said Emma. "Yes. I got your message. You wanted to talk about Henry"? said Mrs. Sears. "Is everything okay with Henry"? said Emma. "Yes. He's a great student. Mainly all A's and one or two B's. He always listens in class and never gets in trouble", said Mrs. Sears. "That's wonderful. I know he is doing well in school. But I never see any friends or Henry talking about any friends", said Emma. "That is true. He does not have any friends. And truthfully some of the kids tease him because of his clothes and his focus on some fairytale book and some politicians", said Mrs. Sears. "I know about the book and the politicians. I did not know about the kids teasing him. I'm sorry about the clothes but that is all we can afford. I feel bad that they tease him", said Emma. "I know. Kids can be cruel at this age. I know you are doing the best you can", said Mrs. Sears. "It would be great for him to have friends but what he is doing is harmless. I was thinking one thing he could do". "What", said Emma. "I think he would be good at chess. He should join the Chess Club", said Mrs. Sears. "I never seen him express an interest in that, but I don't see the harm in it", said Emma. "He certainly has an aptitude for it", said Mrs. Sears. "Okay whatever you need from me to support you on this. I will do it. I am sorry I did not call you sooner", said Emma. "I understand. I am glad you did call though. It was wonderful to talk to you", said Mrs. Sears. "Have a great day". "You too", said Emma.

"Who was that", said Henry. "What?! You scared me", said Emma. "I was talking to your teacher. I think it is a good idea for you to join the Chess Club". "Um I have too much homework", said Henry. "I may be busy but I know how long it takes you to do your homework and you do have time. If you spent more time on things like this and less on that book, you would have time. I want you to do it", said Emma. "Fine. I will try it", said Henry. "That is all I ask", said Emma.

**Okay I know this chapter may be a little bit more boring compared to the last chapter, but it will set itself up well for the next one, which is also in 2011 and interesting. And as you may realize, I am foreshadowing a possible CaptainSwan pairing. I am a fan and can't wait to see them later..albeit a bit later. **


	9. Chapter 10

**Thanks for everyone who reviewed and read. I decided to pick Chess Club because it was on my mind. We have a popular Chess Club where I work. I also think Henry would like it and be good at it.** **Special guest star in this chapter. Can you guess who?**

Augusta, 2014

"Hey how was Chess Club today"? said Emma. "Actually not too bad. And I made a friend too," said Henry. "Really? Tell me more", said Emma. "Well there was this kid Tyler and he is a beginner like me too and we were learning together and we played a match together at the end", said Henry. "Great. I'm happy to hear it", said Emma. "Well, I'm going upstairs to check the computer and then do my homework", said Henry. As he left, Emma shook her head. She was hoping he would forget about the book after he got involved with chess and all. Pick your battles , she thought to herself.

Henry went to the computer and he was shocked to see he got a message. It was from, "MMB".

It said: Hello. I was shocked to see my book on there. It was late the other night and I couldn't sleep and decided to play around on Ebay and saw it there. Must be fate. And I was even more shocked to see that the book is in Augusta, where I am currently staying. I could arrange somehow to pick it up. What works for you? Thanks MMB

Henry responded: Hello. My name is Henry. Would it be possible for you to meet me at Granny's Diner the next few days maybe around 4? The address is 121 Maple Street. Thank you! Sincerely, Henry Henry figured that it would be best to meet this person in a public place. He thought back to what his mom said and if by chance it is true it was some sinister person or prankster, it would be best to meet someplace with a lot of people and where his mother would be. He worked on his homework until dinner.

"Guess what Mom", said Henry. "That person responded to my ad". "Listen, I don't want you to get your hopes up about this", said Emma. "I know. I will try to be realistic. And I told the person we could meet to exchange the book", said Henry. "What! how do you plan on doing this"? said Emma. "Don't worry. I told the person to meet me here at the Diner when I knew Granny and you would be there. I'm not stupid", said Henry. "Sorry to overreact but I was just worried", said Emma. "I understand", said Henry. "When is chess club next"? said Emma. "I think it is once a week, so next Tuesday then", said Henry.

Wednesday Evening

Henry went to check his email and saw another message from MMB.

Dear Henry, Sorry for the short notice, but would tomorrow afternoon work for you? I can come at 4 PM. I have the address and looked up the phone number in case I get lost. Any recommendations on what to order there :) ? Thanks again! Sincerely, Mary Margaret

Henry's heart raced. First of all, could it be the same Mary Margaret? Mary Margaret Blanchard. The same first letter of the last name, probably, but there could be other Mary Margarets out there, no? And tomorrow. Wow. He did not expect to happen that quick. He rushed downstairs to tell his mom. "You'll never guess what happened", said Henry. "What you heard from that person and they are coming to diner"? said Emma. "However did you guess", said Henry with a smile. "ESP? No seriously, it's all you been talking about", said Emma. "I think it is Mary Margaret Blanchard", said Henry. "What because of the initials again"? said Emma. "No, she signed her name Mary Margaret and I think MMB stands for her initials", said Henry. "Listen I don't want you to get your hopes up. I am sure there are other Mary Margarets out there whose last name begins with B" , said Emma. "I thought that myself", said Henry. "Okay eat dinner and then relax a bit before bed", said Emma.

Next Morning

Granny said, "Emma. I know I usually don't have you waiting tables, but I need you this morning. It is an emergency". "What happened to Ruby this time"? said Emma. "She texted me a message that she heard from Phil or Bill or whatever his name is and he wants to meet her and she thinks he wants to break up with her", said Granny. "I went to her room to talk to her about it but she left. That girl is going to give me an ulcer. Why couldn't she be more like you"? "Thanks Granny. You know I hate to wait tables but I will do it for you", said Emma. It was quiet and there were a few regulars that came in.

Someone she didn't recognize came in. Although, she was in the back a lot and she might be wrong about that. She certainly did not look like one of their usual customers. Her style was more upscale and elegant than many of their lower middle class and working class customers. She had short dark hair just above her shoulders. She had a black blazer that was waist length and a crisp white shirt with the first few buttons opened, a gold linked necklace, gold hoops and a black knee length pencil skirt and gorgeous black boots. Her makeup was elegantly done and seemed understated except for the lipstick. She sat in one of the booths. "Would you like to order something", said Emma to the woman. "Just coffee", she said. When Emma came back with the coffee, the woman said, "Say you don't have your name on your uniform. What if I need something else. For whom do I ask"? said the woman. "I'm sorry. I am covering for someone. I'm Emma. Do you need something else"? said Emma. "Yes but not food or drink. Unfortunately my phone is dead and I forgot my charger. Is it possible you can look up something for me on your phone"? said the woman. "I have a cell phone but it doesn't really have Internet access", said Emma. "But my boss has one. Maybe I can borrow it". The woman sighed and said, "Fine. Just hurry up. I'm running late". Emma narrowed her eyes a bit at the woman but ran to get Granny's phone.

"Granny"! said Emma. "May I borrow your phone"? "Yes whatever. I'm busy making my chocolate cake", said Granny. Emma grabbed the phone and went back out to the woman. "For what are you searching"? said Emma. "I was looking up the name of the hospital that is known for their neurological unit. Listen just give me the phone. It will be quicker", said the woman. "Um okay", said Emma. The woman looked up whatever she needed and gave the phone back to Emma. Emma returned the phone and when she came back she was surprised that the woman left her a $5 tip for coffee.

**Who do you think the woman was? I'll give you three guesses :). Wonder what she is up to. **


	10. Chapter 11

**Someone asked if Mary Margaret is married to David (Prince Charming) in this version. My answer is read further and you will see :). Next chapter after this goes back to the past. **

Augusta, 2014

It wasn't that busy at the diner, so Ruby was playing with her phone. The phone was ringing and ringing. Granny stuck her head out of the kitchen and said, "Just answer it already. I know it is not that busy yet outside. We need to get everything prepped for the dinner later". "Sorry. I got it", said Ruby. "Hello", said Ruby. "Hi. Is there a Henry there"? said the voice. "No. He's still at school. I can take a message. Darn, I don't have any paper. I guess I can remember it", said Ruby. "Um, I can wait a minute if you need to get some paper and pen", said the voice. "Listen, I will remember it. Don't worry", said Ruby. "Ok then. Tell Henry that an emergency came up and I cannot make it today. My name is Mary Margaret. Please let him know and that I will contact him to reschedule", said Mary Margaret. "Ok. No problem", said Ruby. After she hung up she went right back to her phone.

Henry rushed upstairs to change and grab a snack. He arrived downstairs exactly at 4. After a half an hour passed, Emma came to him and said, "Sorry but looks like that person is not going to show up. I know you are disappointed but you got to figure it is a long shot". About 10 minutes later Ruby saw that Henry was upset and asked him, "What's wrong"? "I was supposed to have a special visitor today but they just bailed on me", said Henry. "Darn. I knew I forgot something. I forgot to give you a message. Your visitor is Mary Margaret? She didn't bail on you. She called around 3 and said she couldn't make it and will contact you to reschedule. Henry said, "Mom, did you hear that? She didn't bail on me after all". "Okay but you know she may not be able to come right away", said Emma. "Wish you were more of an optimist", said Henry. "Like you", said Emma smiling and hugged Henry.

Henry ran back upstairs to check his email. It was likely if Mary Margaret was going to contact him, it would not be right away but it is worth a try. She didn't contact him. He figured while he was on the computer he would look up a little information about chess.

Tyler and Henry really hit it off. Being a nerd, Tyler knew what it was like to be picked on. Tyler asked Henry in school the next day if he could come to the diner and play chess with after school. He told Tyler he would ask his mom when he got home. His mom was enthusiastic about this and said, "Yes. But you know you don't have to play in the diner. You can play upstairs at home". "It is more comfortable in the diner booths. We won't be noisy. I promise", said Henry.

They had a great time and Emma even made her famous pumpkin bread for them. When it started to get busy at 5:30, Emma said that they had to either go upstairs or play again another day. They played upstairs for another hour and then Emma brought them some dinner upstairs. He had so much fun he forgot about the book and Mary Margaret. At least until Saturday afternoon.

On Saturday afternoon, Henry checked his email again and got a message from Mary Margaret. It said:

Dear Henry,

Hi. I wasn't sure if you got my phone message. I apologize for canceling last minute. Would it be too last minute to come tomorrow? I figure the diner may be busy? Maybe Monday is better instead. Find out and let me know. Have a good day.

Sincerely,

Mary Margaret

Henry ran over to his mom and asked her about Mary Margaret. Emma said, "I'm busy now. I'm taking my break in twenty minutes. I'll come upstairs and we'll talk then. Twenty minutes later, Emma came upstairs. "What's going on Henry"? said Emma. "Sorry to bother you but I heard from Mary Margaret again and she said she could either come sometime tomorrow or Monday afternoon", said Henry. "Monday afternoon at 4. Alright? Anything else", said Emma. "No just that I got a message from Tyler telling me how good your pumpkin bread is", said Henry. "Tell him thanks", said Emma.

Monday Afternoon

Henry decided to distract himself with his homework until 4 PM. He didn't want to get himself all caught up in the possible visit in case he was disappointed again. He checked his watch and saw it was 3:55 PM. He got ready and went downstairs. He saw a woman come in and look around. She had short brown hair and hazel eyes. She was wearing a pink cardigan and a pink and purple and green flower printed shirt and jeans. She looked slightly older (but not much because she looks great for her age) but it was definitely Mary Margaret Blanchard. "Hello. You must be Mary Margaret", said Henry. "Hi. Oh your Henry? I didn't realize you are a kid. How are you?" said Mary Margaret. Emma came out and said, "Hi. I'm Henry's mother. Have a seat here. I have some pumpkin bread. Do you like tea or coffee". "Hi. I'm Mary Margaret and tea would be great", said Mary Margaret.

Henry said, "I have the book here for you". "How did you get a hold of this book? It is one of a kind", said Mary Margaret. "Funny thing, I was at a garage sale. I was looking around and didn't see much but all of a sudden, this book appeared, almost out of no where", said Henry. Emma came back out with the tea and pumpkin bread. "Thank you and what is your name"? said Mary Margaret. "Emma", said Emma. "Really," said Mary Margaret. "I'll be right back. I have to check on something", said Emma. "Henry, this might sound strange but what is your last name"? said Mary Margaret. "It's not strange. I don't mind you ask. It is Swan". "Swan?!" said Mary Margaret as she almost choked on her pumpkin bread.

Emma came out and asked, "Are you okay"? Mary Margaret looked pale and took a few deep breaths and then said, "I'm okay. Your name is Emma Swan"?


	11. Chapter 12

**I am still continuing with the storyline from the past. I'm introducing a character, see if you can figure out who it would be in the TV version of Once upon a Time. **

Regina saw her friend, Victoria on the way to class. "How are you doing"? said Victoria. "I was worried about you".

"I've been better", said Regina.

"What's that you are wearing"? said Victoria.

"Oh this? You like it"? said Regina.

"Um, it is not our usual classic look", said Victoria.

"Well I'm trying something different", said Regina.

"Oh...ok", said Victoria. "See you later". Victoria left and Regina looked after her friend. Granted her look was different but her friend looked at her as if she was from outer space.

Another friend Samantha, who a friend of Regina's, but not as close as Victoria saw her at lunch. Instead of being sympathetic to her, she immediately asked, "What is that you are wearing? I would think you would not want to get any attention after all that happened that you would want to keep a low profile. People are talking about you".

"And who is that?" said Regina as she narrowed her eyes at Samantha. She was never crazy about Samantha. She was a big phony. She reminded her of her mother.

"Just some people", said Samantha. Suddenly Victoria came over to join them for lunch. "What are we talking about"? said Victoria.

"Remember how I said some people were talking about Regina"? said Samantha.

Victoria looked uncomfortable. She didn't know what to say. She didn't agree with Samantha although she was surprised at what Regina was wearing but she understood why. Secretly she admired Regina's courage for doing so. But she was afraid of Samantha. Samantha was always in competition with Regina. Her family was new money, so she always felt she had to keep up with Regina's family. Despite Regina's mother, through her father's side, she was from a long line of respected Massachusetts politicians.

Regina was happy they were not talking about Daniel but at the same time she underestimated the reaction she would get about her clothes and makeup. She changed and took off her makeup before she went home.

She was hoping to avoid her mother, so she tried to come straight home from school even though there was cheerleading practice. However her mother was home. "Guess what? I have great news", said Cora.

Regina rolled her eyes and muttered, "Great news? Not likely".

"What did you say"? said Cora.

"Um nothing, what is your good news"? said Regina.

"We are going to Washington D.C. not this weekend but next weekend. Isn't that great? I bet it will help keep your mind off of Daniel", said Cora.

"What if I don't want to keep my mind off of Daniel"? said Regina.

"Anyhow, it will be a nice little getaway. I know the cherry blossoms are in bloom this time of year. Plus you are going no matter what", said Cora.

"There is just a little matter of your step-father's charity/publicity event we have to attend, but aside from that we have the rest of the time to relax and enjoy".

_ The following weekend_

Regina packed some of her "new clothes". She bought some racy clothes she hid from her mom and the skirt she altered. She packed that along with her regular clothes. She also added the makeup.

They arrived at 11 and the event was at 5. She asked her mother if she would have some time to explore on her own. At first it looked like her mother was going to say no, but then she said, "Ok you can go as long as you take Mary Margaret". Regina rolled her eyes but said, "Fine"! Mary Margaret tried to talk to her but Regina ignored her.

"You are not still mad at me, Regina"? said Mary Margaret.

Regina looked at Mary Margaret and said, "I just don't feel like talking right now".

"Um okay", said Mary Margaret.

They went back to the hotel to change. Regina had a tiny skirt that was able to fit in her purse along with her makeup. She was allowed to wear makeup for this event but not as much as she wanted to wear. It was determined that she had to stay with her family from 5-8, but the event continued until 11. First was the appetizers and dinner, and then the speeches, (one of them was her stepfather's speech).

It seemed to go on forever but finally the speeches were done. She had to hang out a little longer because some people wanted to compliment her stepfather on his speech and meet his family. Finally it was 8:15 and she rushed to the bathroom to change. When she was finished changing, she saw another teen next to her. She had medium length wavy blonde hair and blue eyes. She had on a lot of makeup and a short sexy green sequined dress. She recognized the girl from last year.

_Flashback, November 1979, Washington D.C._

Regina was in the bathroom during an event. When she went to reapply her lipstick, she saw a girl next to her. She had long wavy blond hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a short skirt and a sexy electric blue blouse. "Oh who are you"? said the girl. The girl looked familiar to Regina but she could not place where.

"Do I know you"? said Regina.

"No we haven't met", said the girl. "Did you come here to escape the boring event? If you did, I know a place we can go to hang out. By the way what is up with that outfit?"

"What's wrong with this outfit"? said Regina.

"If you want to look classic, conservative and boring, you succeeded", said the girl.

"Um ok. Anyhow where are you going"? said Regina.

"They have a rooftop deck here. It is nice. By the way my name is Mallory Fenton", said Mallory.

"Now I know why I recognized you. Weren't you the senator's daughter who was accused of setting fire to a local warehouse"? said Regina.

"Accused is the operative word. I was never convicted", said Mallory.

"Okay. Anyhow sure I'll go to get a little fresh air", said Regina. They went up to the rooftop deck and Mallory offered Regina a cigarette. Regina just shook her head.

"Afraid you will get in trouble? I have some perfume which will mask the scent and some mints", said Mallory.

"Um isn't smoking bad for you"? said Regina.

"I doubt it. But even if it is, I have a lot of year ahead of me yet", said Mallory.

"Still I will say no thanks", said Regina.

"Suit yourself", said Mallory.

_Present Day_

"Hey Mallory? Do you remember me"? said Regina.

"You look vaguely familiar but I am not sure", said Mallory.

"I'm Regina from the event last year", said Regina.

"That's you"? said Mallory. "You look different. You look great".

"Thanks", said Regina as she smiled. "Glad someone thinks so".

"Why do you say that?" said Mallory.

"My friends think I am dressing too racy", said Regina.

"Sorry but they have no taste", said Mallory.

"I was just going to finish fixing my makeup. What are you doing after this"? said Regina.

"I was going to see if this place also has a rooftop deck", said Mallory. "Care to join me"?

"Okay sure", said Regina. They went to find a rooftop deck but they did not have one but there was a balcony in the back of the ballroom and they went out there. "Do you have any of those cigarettes?" said Regina.

"You are not worried that they are bad for you"? said Mallory.

"Who cares", said Regina.

"Okay make sure you inhale but don't take a very deep breath", said Mallory.

Regina took her advice and was a natural. "I know what you mean about your friends", said Mallory. "They can be so fickle. After I was accused of arson most of them acted like they didn't know me. I'm glad I have nothing to do with those phony girls. Forget about those girls in your school, they are not worth your time".

"Yeah easier said than done. I am annoyed at them but I miss having friends to talk to", said Regina.

"Well you can talk to me. Here's my phone number and address. Let's keep in touch", said Mallory.

"That would be great. I'll call you soon", said Regina.

**Did you figure out who is Regina's new friend? Please respond and let me know who you think it is. Hope you like it and review if you do please!**


	12. Chapter 13

** No guesses yet on who it is? Too obvious? Not obvious? Just curious if you know who Mallory is. **

Regina was actually disappointed to leave Washington D.C. She had to admit to herself it was great to escape her chaotic life back home. And seeing Mallory was great too. If she had no friends, at least she talk or write to Mallory and maybe see her at some point.

Things seemed to quiet down at bit back in her home town. Most of Regina's friends were not talking to her but Victoria would when Samantha was not around. Regina did not go all out with her wardrobe but it was not as conservative as before. Mainly she would wear skirts that were knee length and button down blouses and open a few of the buttons when she was at school. She wore makeup at school but not as much as she had previously. Still Samantha had been spreading some rumors about her that she was now sleeping around. She called Mallory on Wednesday and told her about the rumors and Mallory just told her to ignore them. Maybe she could start a rumor about Samantha if she liked or find some real dirt on her and she would leave her alone. Not a bad idea thought Regina.

However Thursday was a quite unusual and horrible day. It started off as a slightly unusual morining for the most part. Cora was trying to speed up Regina to get to school. Normally she wanted them to leave on time but she wasn't as conscientious as this. Regina thought it was strange but she left. Cora decided on the spur of the moment that Mary Margaret should get an early morning horse-riding lesson. Mary Margaret thought it was strange too but didn't say anything.

Mary Margaret and Regina had an uneasy peace between the both of them. They didn't talk much to each other but Regina wasn't rude to her either. When they came home from school Cora came to them and had a pained look on her face.

"What is it mother"? said Regina.

"I don't know how to tell you guys this, but Mary Margaret, your father is dead", said Cora.

"What"! yelled Regina and Mary Margaret stood there with her mouth hanging open. "Didn't he leave for Augusta this morning"? said Regina.

"I told you that because I didn't want you guys to find him like that", said Cora.

"What happened to him"? whispered Mary Margaret.

"I think it was a heart attack", said Cora.

Regina felt some chills when she heard that statement. Something didn't sound right about it but she couldn't figure out why. Suddenly she went back to when her father died. She didn't talk about it much and sometimes acts like it didn't happen. He died of a heart attack too. Both her father and her stepfather were very healthy. Suddenly that feeling passed. She went to hug Mary Margaret but Mary Margaret ran away from her and went upstairs. Regina was hurt. Regina decided not to go after her but go outside for a little bit and sit on their bench on the porch. Although she wasn't that close to her stepfather, she liked him and despite what had happened with Mary Margaret and herself, she did not wish this on her.

She was thinking to herself what should she do. In the back of her mind she had considered becoming an emancipated minor at the age of 16. Somehow before the events of Daniel, she thought maybe she could make it to 18, now after all this, she was not sure. Besides, she would likely not get it anyhow. But she did get the paperwork just in case. She went back to her thoughts before about her father's and stepfather's death. And then she also thought about Daniel's death. Was it a coincidence that they all died similarly (2 heart attacks and an aneurysm) and none of them had health problems. Did they really die from those conditions? Why would she think that and if that was the case, who would do that? She was getting herself upset and didn't want to think anymore. She went inside the house and claimed to be tired and went to her room.

**What do you think happened?**


	13. Chapter 14

**Hmm no one commented on who you thought was Regina's new friend. Oh well. I was thinking about Maleficient because I knew she was going to be on last night's show. I was also told they were going to show how they met but I thought it was going to be last night. I found out it is going to be on later in the season. As for libraries, I work in one, so I am showing a true depiction of a library :), at least in 1980.**

Regina could not sleep. She kept on thinking about the three deaths and wondering if they were murders. The thought of possibly her mother killing all of them came into her mind. She snuck into the home library which had a set of encyclopedias. She looked up poison. There was some possible information that could be related to what happened but not a lot of detail. She would have to go to the library after school to check. She debated on whether she should share her concerns with Mary Margaret. Then she had a thought come into her head. If indeed her mother murdered her ex-boyfriend and she had found out about him because of Mary Margaret, then she would be partly to blame. She had been annoyed at Mary Margaret but that was because she was a snitch and she did not like she could not be trusted but now she looked at things a little differently. She did feel a little bad though Mary Margaret's father was dead. Should she let Mary Margaret in on her theory? Or not. She was not sure and even more confused than before. Finally after much tossing and turning, morning arrived.

She was wondering if her mother was even going to have them go to school. Then she thought probably not. But how would she go to the library? Should she just ask or make up an excuse? She found out that they were not going to school today. She thought her mother would think it strange that she wanted to go to the library, so she decided to say the following: "Mother. I would like to go to the park to clear my head a bit. I won't be there more than 1 1/2 hours".

"Mary Margaret, do you want to go too"? said Cora. Regina was praying that Mary Margaret would say no. She was lucky and Mary Margaret had said that she was not up to going out. "Fine go, but not more than 1 1/2 hours", said Cora.

"Thank you", said Regina. The library was not that far from their home, only a twenty five minute walk. She went about 1 oclock, which seemed to be the perfect time because it was half empty. She imagined most people went to lunch at that time. Luckily she knew her way around a card catalog and knew the Dewey Decimal system, because she would be embarrassed to ask her questions to the librarian. It appeared there were two books on the topic, which she finally discovered was toxicology. She also decided to look at the 2 books about poisoners in history too and quickly check the microfiche machines for any relevant newspaper articles. She took notes because she again was too embarrassed to take out the books and did not want her mom to find them. Finally, she found what she was looking for. She put the books on the cart label "place books here" and then left. She checked her watch. She was running late. She ran home and made it only 5 minutes late.

"Why do you look so tired and sweaty"? said Cora.

"I decided maybe a run would help clear my head in the park", said Regina. She was worried that her mom would also comment on the time, but surprisingly she didn't. Regina was thinking again if she should share the information with Mary Margaret but still wasn't sure. She also realized she should have looked at some law books to find out if they were able to have a forensic study on her stepfather's body. She would worry about that tomorrow. She also thought if she would tell Mary Margaret it should be after she looked at those books.

The Next Day

It was a rainy and gloomy day. The perfect day for a funeral. Regina's mind was wondering the whole time during the funeral about the possible murders. She was also thinking about if she should tell Mary Margaret or not and if she could get back to the library. She couldn't really use the park excuse but maybe the library excuse would actually work this time. Not for schoolwork of course, but maybe to find a book to distract her about what was going on. So indeed she did that and was able to get back to the library. It was a little busier at this time as it was 3:30, but it seemed like most people were involved in what they were doing, that they were not paying much attention to her. She found the books and information she needed.

When she came back home, she saw Mary Margaret sitting on the couch staring into space. She decided time was of the essence and she had to tell Mary Margaret her theory and what they needed to do. "Mary Margaret, may I talk to you for a few minutes"? said Regina.

"Is everything ok"? said Mary Margaret.

"It is important that I tell you about this", said Regina.

She launched into her whole theory and her plan. Mary Margaret just stared at Regina in shock.

"Are you for real? Seriously my father just died and you are talking about these outrageous theories you have? Are you crazy? If you want to do your plan, do it yourself. I can't deal with any of this right now", said Mary Margaret.

Now it was Regina's turn to look at Mary Margaret in shock. Of all the things she expected Mary Margaret to say, that was not one of them. "Why that ungrateful brat", she thought to herself. After all she had been doing to help, she did not expect this. Regina left in a huff.


	14. Chapter 15

After all the research Regina did, she realized there was a chance there may need authorization from her mother to have the autopsy performed. She could try to convince the coroner it was foul play but it may not work. And even if it did work, they may still need to tell her mother. She could probably bribe the coroner, but she thought she may have to bribe the judge too because he may think that the evidence was inadmissible. She had a few pieces of jewelry and some money she saved that she did not have in the bank. It was enough to bribe one of the officials but not both. So it looked like she still have to some unpleasant business with the coroner anyhow. She shivered at the thought of what else she would have to do in order for her plan to work, but there was no way around it. She decided that she would bribe the judge and do the other business with the coroner.

The next day the first part was done. She had lied and told her friend Victoria that she had a fight with her mother and she needed some time alone, so she wanted to be able to use her as an alibi, if her mother asks where she was tonight. She felt dirty but there was no turning back. Now at least they would do the autopsy on her stepfather's body. This was also the first day she was going back to school. She was not looking forward to that. After the way people talked after Daniel died, they were sure to be talking again about her stepfather's death.

However, one hopeful and kind of unusual thing happened that morning. When Cora left to get dressed, Mary Margaret asked to talk to Regina privately. She said, "Listen, I been thinking about it. I am sorry about the other day. I was very upset that you approached me about this after my father died and I certainly did not want to think he was murdered, but if there is even a small chance that he was, I think we owe it to ourselves to find out".

Regina did not want to say anything, first because she didn't want Mary Margaret to know that she already went forward before she spoke to her and because after what happened to Daniel, he did not quite trust her. "I don't know if it is possible to do anything, we'll see, ok", said Regina. Mary Margaret looked worried. "Let's not think about this now. We have a day of school to get through", said Regina.

"How are we going to do it"? said Mary Margaret.

"Easier said than done, but try to ignore everyone", said Regina.

And Regina was right, it was easier said than done and it felt like an awfully long day. And she also had another day to wait for the autopsy results. She also wanted to take a bus to Augusta to visit the University of Maine Augusta Campus to do some more research. She had used the excuse that she needed to do some research for a project and she could not find the information in the local or school library. Cora seemed notably impressed and did not ask her any more questions. She learned there are a few substances that could be used to mimic a heart attack and it was likely one or two of these substances.

The next day, she went back to the coroner's office, which in a way she was dreading doing because of the other night, but she really needed to know about the results of the autopsy. She read the report and it said he had Oleander in his blood. It was one of the substances that could possibly mimic a heart attack. It was actually used as a medicine in small doses but in large doses was a poison. She found out she would also need a lawyer too. Luckily it turns out that the autopsy would be admissible so she may not have to bribe the judge, but she still needed to get a lawyer. So her options were to get a pro bono lawyer (someone who would want to take on this case for free) or get a cheap bad lawyer and use him to as a front to try to defend the case herself. Both were long shots and she had to figure out which way to go.

She discovered that a recent graduate from law school would probably be the best way to go to get a pro bono lawyer. After making a few phone calls, she found a recent law school graduate who was desperate for his first case. Although Regina did a lot of research and was quickly learning about the law and she found this type of thing came easy to her, there was still a lot she didn't know. Working together with a real lawyer would be a big help.


	15. Chapter 16

**Happy Holidays. Enjoy the story. Please review if you like. **

Regina called Archie, her attorney. "So you know what to do next"? said Regina.

"We are supposed to follow up with the police, to make sure they got the autopsy report and see if they are searching any other evidence", said Archie.

"And you know what to say, right"? said Regina.

"Um I'm not sure," said Archie,

"And you are a lawyer? Granted this is your first case, but I would think you would have a little bit of an idea what to say"? said Regina.

"Well I do, but I am nervous and not sure I will use the right words"? said Archie.

"Mr. Hopper, I'm surprised you want to become a lawyer", said Regina. "Doesn't sound like your cup of tea".

"Well my parents pressured me into it. My father built himself up from con man to indispensable right hand man to the Augusta Attorney General. Because of his criminal past, he cannot practice law per se, but his knowledge of figuring out cons and identity theft and other related manners have been a big help to the office", said Archie. "He always regretted that he could not practice law, so that is where I came in".

"Um okay", said Regina. "Alright. I will tell you what to say and you will practice it with me". They sat and practiced for two hours and finally Regina was confident enough that they could go to the police. "The sheriff in our town does not take care of criminal cases, but the Kennebec County Sheriff Office does".

Archie drove her to the office in Augusta. He asked her a lot of questions about her childhood. Regina was very evasive. Finally she was annoyed and snapped at Archie, "What are you a psychologist or something? I'm not paying you analyze me".

"Actually, you are not paying me at all", said Archie.

"I realize that. Let me guess, you always wanted to be a psychologist not a lawyer, right"? said Regina.

"Yes. But anyhow based on what you did say, you would make a great lawyer and all," said Archie.

"Terrific thanks. Not let's just keep quiet for the rest of the ride", said Regina.

They got to the sheriff's office. Regina stared at Archie and whispered, "Remember what I said".

"Yes, yes", said Archie.

Archie started to explain what was going on to some assistant. She got on the phone and talked to the deputy sheriff. "Actually the sheriff will be right out to talk to you guys", said the assistant.

"Hi. Who are you guys? I'm Sheriff Warner. I was told some people were here regarding the Lucas Blanchard case", said the sheriff.

"I'm Archie Hopper, Regina Mills's lawyer and Regina is the stepdaughter of Lucas Blanchard", said Archie.

"Why is Regina here and not her mother and Luca's daughter"? said Sheriff Warner.

"She does not want to let her mother know. She thinks that her mother was the one who killed her stepfather. And her step-sister is 11", said Archie.

"Really tell me more", said Sheriff Warner.

"She will in due time, but we are just here to make sure that the case is going forward. She is also worried that her mother will find out and do something to her and her sister", said Archie.

"We haven't made an arrest yet, but what makes you think your mother did it, Regina"? said Sheriff Warner.

"Sheriff, before Regina tells you anything, you must make sure her sister and her will be protected", said Archie.

"If we get to that point, we will send officers that will provide protection for Miss Mills and Miss Blanchard", said Sheriff Warner.

"Okay. My mother killed my father and my boyfriend", said Regina.

"That may be as well, but right now that is hearsay", said Sheriff Warner.

"I thought you may say that, but here is a letter I found to my sister and me", said Regina. "I'm sorry it is ripped. I found it a piece of it on the floor, I think the rest of it was thrown away. I'm guessing the rest of the letter was ripped up but this part must have dropped but the person who ripped it up did not realize it".

The letter said: "must talk to you both about this privately".

"That could be about anything", said Sheriff Warner.

"Yes but I found this letter about two days after Lucas Blanchard's death", said Regina.

"Alright. Still not concrete, but may be enough to at least do some investigation. Mr. Hopper, you can follow up with us in a week", said Sheriff Warner.

"A week!", exclaimed Regina.

"Listen, calm down. It's okay", said Archie.

They left the office. "Well you did great. Just like we practiced", said Regina.

"Thanks. So if and when I hear anything, I will be in touch with you", said Archie.

"I have a payphone number you can reach me at. Call me around the hours of 3:30-5, okay"? said Regina.


	16. Chapter 17

It was Friday, a week after Regina and Archie met Sheriff Warner. Regina stopped by the payphone during the hours Archie mentioned to her every day that week although she did not think he would get back to her until the end of the week. Finally on Friday, Archie called her.

"Regina. Just want to give you a heads up. I think they are going to come arrest your mom tomorrow from what I could gather. Sheriff Warner was very vague. He said something about taking the next step very soon perhaps in a day or two. Just be prepared. And he did promise again to send some police to act as guard. But I also thought of something. Who would watch you guys when your mom is arrested? She might be granted bail but who knows. I don't know if they will let you stay on your own for a few days. They might make you temporarily stay at a foster home if you don't", said Archie.

"I was thinking about this. I think I can stay at Victoria's for a night or two. I'm not sure though. Her parents may not want Victoria to have anything to do with me. And Mary Margaret will probably have an easier time staying with a friend because she has a close friend and the family will probably feel sorry for her", said Regina. "Wait I have an idea. I have a friend in Connecticut. Do you think they would let me stay there"?

"I don't know. If I was you, I would get a hold of her and talk to her right away. Also talk to Mary Margaret. She should know now", said Archie.

"I'm not sure if I should do that. Remember what I told you she did last time I confided in her about something"? said Regina.

"This is different. I don't think she would tell her stepmother that she knows she killed her father. That would be stupid. And is your mom suspicious anyhow"? said Archie.

"Actually no thank goodness. I'm going to see if I can get some change and call that friend first. Thanks for calling", said Regina.

Regina went to CVS to buy two chocolate bars and got change so she could use the phone. She was praying she could reach Mallory and explain everything to her. Despite the fact that Mallory was further away from her, she would be a safer bet. She had to cut into her possible "bribe the judge" fund to pay for transportation (maybe) but it was urgent. Luckily she was able to reach Mallory. Regina explained everything to her and asked her if she could help.

"You are in luck. My mom is away for plastic surgery out in Beverly Hills for a long weekend. How do you plan on getting here? I would have our chauffeur get you. I will make sure he doesn't tell my mom", said Mallory.

"Thank you that would mean a lot", said Regina. "I will call you again to give you more details on when I am coming. Sorry to put this on you like this".

"What are friends for? Of course"! said Mallory.

Regina rushed home. Luckily her mom was out getting her hair done, so she could talk to Mary Margaret alone. When she told Mary Margaret what was going on, Mary Margaret was upset and cried. Despite what had happened between them recently, Regina felt bad for her and hugged her. "Do you think you can stay at Vanessa's house for a few days"? said Regina.

"I'm too upset to talk to anyone", said Mary Margaret.

" Give me her phone number now and when the time is right, I will call her. Don't worry", said Regina. "Look what I got you".

"A Hershey's bar. My favorite. Thanks"! said Mary Margaret.

Regina couldn't sleep that night. She kept on wondering if tomorrow was going to be the day. It turned out it was. It turned out she was right and her mother was indeed clueless to what had happened. She was in shock when she was arrested. And she had no idea who it could be. She explained to her mother that they were going to stay with friends for a few days and to tell her if there was anything she needed her to do (such as helping her to get bail or finding out about a lawyer.

"I got this covered. Just figure out what you guys are going to do. I can't think about anything else right now", said Cora.

"I plan on it", said Regina. As soon as Cora left, she called Vanessa's mother. She was very sympathetic and said that Mary Margaret could stay a few days. The mother asked if she had a place to stay and offered for her to stay with them too. She politely declined, explaining to the mother, that she was going to stay at a friend's house, but that she appreciated the offer.

Regina called back Mallory and she said the driver could pick her up in a few hours. Regina said she should meet her by the Sunshine Café in town. She figured she would get a bite there for lunch and kill some time. After she ate and read for a bit, she checked her watch. Based on what Mallory told her, the driver would be there in 2 hours. Regina figured she should get a dessert, so she could stay in the café a bit longer. Luckily it was not busy yet. Finally the driver arrived and she went to the car. She realized how tired she was and slept most of the way to Mallory's house. It was dark when she arrived and she could not see the house. Mallory was there and gave her a big hug. She asked her if she wanted some pizza. She was going to call a place that delivered.

"I was going to invite a few friends for a party, but I figured you were exhausted and it was a bit much for you today. How about tomorrow though"? said Mallory.

"I cannot think about it right now but ask me again tomorrow", said Regina.

The weekend at Mallory's went by so fast. When Mallory told her she was going to have a few friends over, she really thought it was just a few friends. Basically it was a huge party with almost everyone from the neighborhood. But Regina didn't mind. It kept her mind off of everything. She had two beers, but it made her feel sick, so after that she stopped. They also watched some movies on TV and went shopping. On Monday, she called Archie to see if he could find out anything for her about what was going on.

Archie said, "Your mother hired the best lawyer around, George Nolan".

Regina said, "Wasn't he the guy who defended Mr. Gold and did that murder case for that local politician?"

Archie said, "Yes that is him. And I know him, kind of. He was my professor for one of my law classes. I remember he told us he never lost a case".

Regina said, "I didn't need to hear that". Is there anything I need to do"?

Archie said, "No but she will be released tomorrow, so you should get back home tonight".

Regina said, "Thanks again. See you soon".


	17. Chapter 18

"Thank you for everything Mallory. Looks like I have to go home tonight", said Regina.

"You will be okay"? said Mallory.

"I will have to be", said Regina. "But admittedly, I am nervous".

"You are doing a good job. I couldn't tell you were nervous", said Mallory.

"I have to keep it up. I cannot let my mother know that I am on to her", said Regina.

"Listen, the driver will be ready to take you in a half an hour", said Mallory. She gave Regina a big hug. "You will be okay. I have confidence in you", said Mallory.

"Thanks", said Regina.

Regina originally thought she would take a nap. But she couldn't sleep. She kept on thinking of different negative scenarios of what would happen with her mother. She worried that her mother would send her away somewhere horrible or make her date some horrible man or even kill her or Mary Margaret. Then she thought about Mary Margaret. What if Cora scares her enough that Mary Margaret reveals that they knew Cora killed Mary Margaret's father? She was feeling very anxious. She did something she did not expect to do. She asked the driver, "Do you have a cigarette"?

"Yes, you want one"? said the driver. "I am going to get some gas in about 10 minutes. I will give you one then. Wait until we leave to light it, okay"?

"Fine", said Regina. After she had the cigarette, she felt a little better.

About 40 minutes later, she was home. Then she actually was exhausted and went to bed. She had a nightmare in which she saw her mother killing Daniel, then killing her father and then killing her stepfather and finally coming after her. She woke up in a cold sweat. She went to turn on the TV. They were showing reruns of the Honeymooners and I Love Lucy. It kept her mind off of things for a little while.

Finally she went back to bed and luckily did not have any nightmares this time. The next morning arrived and she called Vanessa's house. Mary Margaret was feeling anxious too but she told her three times that she would not say anything to Cora and that she was scared of her and what she would do to her.

Then she braced herself to what she would expect at school. Likely kids would be pointing fingers at her and whispering about her. That is exactly what happened. Victoria looked worried and came up to Regina and said, "Listen. I'm sorry but my parents said I cannot talk to you anymore. They don't want me to be associated with a murderer's daughter", said Victoria.

"Seriously? First of all, you don't know for sure my mother did it and secondly I thought you was my friend. You are afraid to stand up to your parents for me? I mean so little to you", said Regina. Before Victoria could respond. Regina ran off.

She went to the women's bathroom to see if anyone was in there. It was empty. She went into a stall and started to cry. No one could see her like this. She did not want anyone to think she was weak. Someone walked in. All of the sudden, she stopped crying. She waited until the person left and fixed her face and went to class. Again there was a lot of whispering.

Finally, she went to her class. It was Ms. Golden's class. She was a nice teacher. She asked Regina if she was okay. Regina said, "Yes". When the teacher saw students whispering in the class, she made an announcement. "I need everyone to be quiet. We need to focus on our work and not gossip. Do I make myself understood? No one. Or else you will go to the principal's office", said Ms. Golden firmly.

Everyone was quiet. At the end of the class, Ms. Golden asked to speak to Regina privately. "Are you okay, Regina? I am sure if you talk to the principal, he will let you go home early if you need", said Ms. Golden.

"I'm sure my mother will be home soon and I don't want to see her right now", said Regina.

"Maybe you can stay in the library. I could have the guidance counselor talk to your teachers and they can bring some work for you to do there", said Ms. Golden.

"You'd do that"? said Regina with a half smile.

"Sure. I have a prep period now, so come with me to the Guidance office and we will talk to your counselor. What is your counselor's name"? said Ms. Golden.

"Mrs. Hylan", said Regina.

"Oh I know her. No problem", said Ms. Golden.

Ms. Golden spoke to Mrs. Hylan for a few minutes while Regina sat outside her office. Then Ms. Hylan asked Regina to come in and she spoke to her for a few minutes. Then she sent her to the library. About 20 minutes later, a secretary dropped off some of her schoolwork. Regina had brought a sandwich with her and the librarian, Mrs. Jenkins, let her eat her sandwich in the library, as long as she did not make a mess.

Regina looked at the clock again. It was 1:00. Only 1 hour to go. She went back to work and then finally the end of the day bell rang. Regina was not looking forward to going home. She didn't want to take the bus. She could walk home. It was a bit of a walk but it would give her some time to think of what to do and say when she saw her mother.

Regina saw the front door was open and walked inside. "Hello", she said hesitantly. She heard her mother call, "Regina. Come here. I need to talk to you".

"Okay. I'm coming", said Regina. She heard her mother call from the living room. She went there and sat down.

"Listen, you may have read some stuff about me in the last few days", said her mother. Actually Regina avoided the newspapers like the plague. "Or maybe you have heard people say things about me", said her mother.

"I'm sure people like to gossip", said Regina. "Are you worried I said something"?

"You would not say anything of course. And you know it is all rumors and falsehoods anyhow. But make sure you don't say anything and tell Mary Margaret not to either. I don't want anything to effect my case", said her mother.

Regina thought, "Not that my mother would actually be concerned on how this effects us". "No I won't say anything, don't worry", said Regina.

"Mary Margaret should be home in about 15 minutes", said her mother. "The nanny went to pick her up from the bus. Talk to her when she gets home. Okay"?

"Fine. Is that it"? said Regina as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yes that is it", said her mother as she glared at her daughter.

"Wait I have a question. Did they set a date for the trial"? said Regina.

"At the arraignment they said it should start in two weeks from now", said her mother.

Regina wondered how she would get through the next two weeks and beyond that.


	18. Chapter 19

Indeed the two weeks did not go by fast. It took all of Regina's mental strength to get through that time period. Luckily, she was still able to stay at the library and do her work and her math teacher worked with her after school to catch her up. She did run into some students now and then but less than she would encounter if she was in her classes. On the positive side, she got all her homework done on time and even got ahead on some things and her grades, while good, got even better. Surprisingly Mary Margaret was handling things pretty well. Regina suspected that people felt sorry for her and probably most of the students too. Mary Margaret always had this way about her, that whenever she was in a difficult situation, she could always make the best of it. Regina was jealous of that.

The dreaded day was finally here. Regina was happy that she was not to testify on the first day. She did discover that she had to testify on the second day. She found time to practice with Archie. And again Archie asked the Sheriff's office about security, especially even more so know once Cora would know what was going on. Sheriff Warner again promised extra security for Regina and Mary Margaret. They allowed both Regina and Mary Margaret to go to the trial. Normally, Regina would have been very excited to go to court and see the legal process unfold, if it was not her mother that was accused. She did discover one interesting thing, her stepmother did testify against her mother. She had not seen her stepmother in years. She looked good. She also saw 2 boys that looked like they could be her half-brothers, but none of them said a word to her.

She did not sleep that night. She tried to read a book but that did not help either. Finally she turned on the TV (extra low, so no one could hear). She found herself on the couch with the tv on the next morning. She must have dozed off for an hour or two. She took a quick shower, found her skirt suit and got dressed. She forced herself to eat a piece of bread. She did not want to have to worry about her stomach growling when she took the stand. She had practiced in her head yesterday again what she went over with Archie. She felt ready, but was she?

They had to go through some preliminary things in court but finally they called Regina's name. "Miss Regina Mills, you are called to the stand", said the bailiff.

Everyone looked kind of surprised. Her mom did show a brief bit of surprise but quickly went back to her cold blank stare.

"State your name again for the jury", said the judge.

"Miss Regina Mills, your honor", said Regina.

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God"? said the judge.

"I do", said Regina. Then the District Attorney came up. She had met him briefly last week to go over her testimony. Archie had been there. The District Attorney whose last name was Lewis looked like your typical District Attorney, at least what Regina expected one to look like. He has short dark hair, brown eyes and a very unreadable face. He'd probably be good at poker. He wore a blue pinstripe suit.

"Where were you on the night of April 12, 1980"? said D.A. Lewis.

"At home, like any other night. Everyone was home, including my stepfather. He was to leave for business in D.C., the next morning", said Regina.

"And the next morning"? said the D.A.

"Started out like any other morning until we found out that my stepfather was dead", said Regina.

"What happened"? said the D.A.

"Well my mother said he had a heart attack", said Regina.

"And you believed that"? said the D.A.

Regina made sure she did not have eye contact with her mother when she said the next part. "I did at first. But then I had this nagging suspicion that it was not a heart attack", said Regina.

"What made you think that"? said the D.A.

"Gut feeling. But I found something that helped solidify my suspicions", said Regina.

"Which was"? said the D.A.

"A piece of a note by the garbage in my stepfather's office", said Regina.

"What were you doing in his office"?! yelled her mother.

"Order in the court," said the Judge. "Mr. Nolan, please keep your client quiet".

"Yes your honor", said Mr. Nolan.

"Anyhow, tell us about the note. I have the piece you mentioned here as exhibit A", said D.A. Lewis.

"There was a piece of a note. It looks like someone must have tried to rip it up and forgot about it", said Regina.

"What did it say"? said the D.A.

"It said: "must talk to you both about this privately", said Regina.

"Did you recognize the handwriting"? said the D.A.

"Yes, it was my stepfather's", said Regina.

"Now normally just a piece of a note, would not just be enough to say a murder happened", said the D.A.

"Right", said Regina.

"Wasn't there something else"? said the D.A.

"Yes I was able to get the autopsy authorized on my stepfather", said Regina.

We see Cora whispering to her lawyer, Mr. Nolan.

"I have the written authorization and results of the autopsy, exhibit B and C", said D.A. Lewis. "The results of the autopsy show that Mr. Blanchard was poisoned by oleander, which could mimic a heart attack. You can also see on the authorization that the autopsy was approved by the coroner and Sheriff Warner. I have no further questions".

"Mr. Nolan, your turn", said the judge.

Regina was feeling nervous but did not show it.

"Hello Miss Mills. You are aware that normally a spouse or a blood relative is the one who gets an autopsy authorized"? said Mr. Nolan.

"Yes,", said Regina. "But as you see the coroner and the Sheriff approved it, so there must be cases where they make exceptions".

"It is very rare", said Mr. Nolan. "And this note, we don't know who Mr. Blanchard was referring to. It could have been anyone and it could have been about anything, correct"?

"Yes, but..", said Regina.

"I just asked for a yes or no answer, that is all", said Mr. Nolan. "And just because it was determined Mr. Blanchard was poisoned, it does not mean that necessarily my client, your mother did it, right"?

"Yes, but..", said Regina.

"Again I just said a yes or no answer. You do not seem to be listening", said Mr. Nolan.

"Sorry", said Regina.

"So you said yes to the last two questions. So that means there could be someone else. Isn't it possible that maybe he was warning someone else, maybe some colleagues and maybe he knew something he wasn't supposed to and maybe he was poisoned by some political opponent or rival"? said Mr. Nolan.

"That is just a hypothesis", said Regina.

"Just like you saying that your mother killed your stepfather is a hypothesis", said Mr. Nolan. "Neither have been proven. I have no further questions, your honor".

"Regina you may sit down", said the judge.

Regina decided to go out and go to the bathroom and stay there for a bit.


	19. Chapter 20

**I decided to use a plot device popular in TV shows and books and leave you in suspense from the big cliffhanger in the past and go forward to the present for a bit. These next chapters while not very suspenseful will be humorous and feature more on certain characters from the EF. Enjoy!**

2014, Augusta, Maine

Mary Margaret rushed to get up and leave and tripped. "Are you okay"? said Emma.

"Yes, but embarrassed", said Mary Margaret. "Here's your tip. I must go. Thanks for everything". She rushed out of the diner.

"That was strange", said Emma.

_Next Day_

"Ugh I got another email from that CaptainHook guy from my class. He's so annoying", said Emma.

"Hmm a man who "names" himself after a pirate. Sounds intriguing", said Ruby.

"Considering pirates are villainous and creepy, that does not really sound intriguing to me", said Emma.

"So what did he want"? said Ruby.

"What are we talking about here"? said Granny.

"Emma's love life", said Ruby.

"I do not have a love life", said Emma.

"That is abundantly clear" said Granny.

"Anyhow, what did this guy say to you"? said Ruby.

"Just to wish me luck on my interview", said Emma.

"You have an interview? That is great", said Granny.

"Sorry I did not tell you sooner, but I just found out today for sure that I am going tomorrow", said Emma. "I hope that is okay".

"What time is it"? said Granny.

"9. I figured it would be after breakfast preparation and before lunch preparation", said Emma.

"Perfect", said Granny.

"If you do not talk to this CaptainHook? How does he know you have an interview"? said Ruby.

"That's not his real name, right Emma"? said Granny.

"Well no. It's his nickname he used for the chat and email for my online classes", said Emma.

"What's his real name"? said Ruby.

"What does it matter? I don't like him anyhow", said Emma. "Anyhow some mutual friends told him about it".

"So where is this interview? Is it for one of those private detective jobs you are interested in"? said Granny.

"It's with Robin Hood", said Emma.

"Robin Hood. Is that his handle he uses for email and chats too"? said Ruby.

"No. That must be the famous Robin Hood. You didn't see that 60 Minutes episode a few years back with him"? said Granny. "Basically he renamed himself. He really did come from the rich and rebelled against that life and became a real life Robin Hood. He changed his name in honor of the character from the book".

"So does he have Merry Men too", said Ruby.

"Yes, they work for him", said Granny.

"Ok..that makes sense, I guess. It is the MM agency", said Emma. "I usually don't watch these type of things, but do you happen to have taped the episode about Robin Hood, Granny"?

"Actually I did. You can watch it on my VCR", said Granny.

"She's probably the only person in Augusta left who has a working VCR", said Ruby.

Emma went to watch the episode. It did help give her some prospective on Robin Hood and prepare her for her interview.

"Granny. How do I know what to wear for this interview"? said Emma.

"I don't know, slacks and a shirt? Did you Google this on the Internet"? said Granny.

"Would they have something like this on the Internet"? said Emma.

"Use my computer and check it out", said Granny.

A little while later Emma came out and said that she found nothing. "I guess I am going with slacks and a shirt after all", said Emma.

"Which one"? said Granny.

"I was thinking my light blue shirt with my beige khakis", said Emma.

"Sounds good", said Granny.

The next day Emma made sure she was up bright and early and was ready for her interview. She ate just a slice of toast and drank a medium size cup of coffee. That was enough to keep her alert but not too much that she would need to use the bathroom. She had looked up directions the night before and gave herself enough time to get to the interview.

The office was in a nondescript building in a not so great area in Augusta. Emma made her way to the 3rd floor to room 310. There was an attractive young man at the desk. He looked disinterested and was playing on his iPhone. "Yes...?" said the young man.

"I'm here for the 9 oclock interview", said Emma.

"Interview? Wish I was the one doing the interview", said the man as looked at her lavishly.

"Excuse me? Just let me know when Mr. Hood is ready to meet with me", said Emma and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Yeah sure", said the young man.

"Robin, it's Will. Some gal is here to interview with you?" said Will as he paged Robin.

"I will be with her in 3 minutes", said Robin.

"You heard what he said. Have a seat", said Will.

The seats did not look clean and she looked around at the magazines. There were just a few old copies of Sports Illustrated and Hunting and Fish magazine. She grabbed one of the magazines and opened it up and sat on it.

"Okay, you can come in now", said Will as he stared at Emma again.

"Ok. Thanks", said Emma warily.

Emma walked in and had a seat.

"Sorry my office is messy. I don't have much time to clean it up", said Robin.

"No worries", said Emma.

"I have your resume here", said Robin. "Why would a Criminal Justice studies graduate apply for a job as a Private Detective? Shouldn't you be applying for a Sheriff or a police officer job"?

"There is not much available right now. But I think whether or not I have a degree is irrelevant on how I would perform as a private detective on the job. Right"? said Emma.

"Noted. Why do you want to be a private detective"? said Robin.

"I'm very observant and good at being inconspicuous when I need to be", said Emma.

"But you would not need to be inconspicuous in this particular position", said Robin.

"What do you mean"? said Emma.

"I'm looking for a honeypot. You heard of that right"? said Robin.

"Yes, yes", said Emma even though she had no idea.

"Well dressed and looking like you are now, you would not be a very good one", said Robin.

"I just dressed like this for the interview. I can dress differently for the job", said Emma.

"So you would have no problem dressing sexy to lure potential cheaters", said Robin.

"What"? gasped Emma.

"I'm guessing you didn't know what exactly this job entailed. If this is too much for you, then I suggest you look for another position", said Robin.

"I was just surprised. That doesn't mean I couldn't do this position. But honestly, I think my talents would be put to waste being what you call a honeypot. I'd be better investigating long lost children or trying to find deadbeat dads or the like", said Emma.

"That type of position is not available. Either you would do this or you can look for another position", said Robin.

"That doesn't mean I couldn't do this position. I could do whatever you needed me to do", said Emma.

"Hmm. With the proper clothes and makeup and all, and the right direction, you could be. Maybe", said Robin. "But so could a bunch of other women. Why you"?

Emma felt insulted but she could not let it show. "I could be very persuasive. And look at me. I am certainly attractive enough".

"Yes indeed", said Robin. Emma felt like a piece of meat. "Okay you can come out with me tomorrow and we will have you practice and see how you do. You up for that"?

"Yes. What time?" said Emma.

"7 PM. I will see you then, no"? said Robin.

"Yes you will. Thank you for the chance", said Emma.

"Have a good day. Make sure you fill out some paperwork with Will", said Robin.

Emma was wondering if she should tell Robin about how Will looked and spoke to her and decided against it. He'd probably think it was Will's right to do so.


	20. Chapter 22

Augusta, 2014

"Glad you came a little bit earlier", said Robin.

"Of course", said Emma.

"Here's the plan. I want you to go to this bar at this address and look for this man. I want you to flirt with him and get him to buy you a drink. I will be at the bar in the back taking photos. To make this believable, you may have to kiss the guy, but it won't go beyond that", said Robin.

"I've seen worse", said Emma.

"Anyhow make sure you get this done. I can't wait for us to nail this guy", said Robin.

"You sound kind of cynical", said Emma.

"You have to be in this profession", said Robin.

"Understood", said Emma. "I am wondering if I should ask but what's the story with Will"? said Robin. "He's harmless. He flirts with all the pretty ladies. Was he bothering you"? said Robin.

"No just wondering that is all", said Emma.

"Good choice in outfit", said Robin. Emma borrowed a pretty green sleeveless dress made of cotton and was formfitting from Ruby and a pair of sexy black stilleto heels that she had to buy specifically for the job that she never wore before. She rarely wore dresses and definitely never one that was formfitting. Luckily she made it to the bar without breaking her neck.

So Emma was off to the location, Blue Blazes. It was easy to find the location. She went in the bar and scoped out the room. She saw her target sitting at a bar stool nursing a gin. She made her way to the bar and sat next to the guy. She drummed her fingers on the table to get his attention and then smiled at the guy. "Rough day"? said Emma.

"I've had better. But it is better now that you are here", said the guy. Emma forced herself to smile at the guy again.

"Yeah I hear you. It was a long day for me. Glad I can come here and unwind", said Emma. "What's your name? I'm Edward", said Edward. Robin gave her a name to use as a cover. It was Lisa Smith.

"Lisa. Nice to meet you Edward," said Emma.

"What brings you to Blue Blazes? I never seen you here before", said Edward.

"Needed to unwind after a tough day at work", said Emma. It was part of the cover story Robin told her to use.

"What do you do"? said Edward.

_Robin didn't discuss this with her, did he? she thought to herself_. So she thought off the top of her head, "I'm a executive assistant".

"Really where"? said Edward.

_Was this guy for real, she thought to herself. Who cares!_

"Some accounting firm downtown", said Emma. She figured there were a few accounting firms in the city and it sounded boring enough that he would not ask more questions about it. Turns out she was right.

"How about you"? said Emma.

"Lawyer. I handle divorce cases. Not very cheerful", said Edward.

"I understand", said Emma.

"I have to deal with people fighting in my job and then I come home to my wife arguing with me. Not fun", said Edward.

"Yeah doesn't sound like it", said Emma. She smiled at him and said, "Let's just sit together and relax and forget about things for a while".

"Sounds good to me. I see you do not have a drink yet. What would you like"? said Edward.

"How about a beer. If they have Samuel Adams that would be great", said Emma.

"Okay, let me get it for you", said Edward. He got the bartender's attention and ordered her a beer.

"Here you go", said Edward. "Now we can both get relaxed".

"Thanks. Did you always live here in Augusta"? said Emma.

"I actually live in a suburb of here but I always worked in Augusta. Suburbs are pretty but not much to do there", said Edward.

"Yes. I live here in Augusta myself. Not a bad city", said Emma.

"Yeah it is okay", said Edward. "But after traveling to places like New York City, Paris, London and Rome, it pales in comparison. Have you ever been to those places"?

"Just New York City", said Emma.

"Oh you should visit Paris. Maybe we can go there together someday", said Edward.

Emma forced another smile and said, "Yes that would be lovely".

Edward took her hand and she tried not to flinch or take her hand away. She smiled at him again and she said, "I'm glad I met you Edward".

"You too Lisa", said Edward. "Would you like to have a nightcap with me"?

"I'm so sorry, I have a long day at work tomorrow, but why don't we sit here longer and enjoy each others company", said Emma. She rubbed his hand.

Then he leaned in to give her a kiss. She tried not to back away. She thought about her favorite actor Gerald Butler and pretended she was kissing him. It must have worked because he looked at her with a satisfied smile.

"I'm so glad I met you tonight. You are just what I needed", said Edward.

"Me too. I'm glad to have met you too", said Emma.

He kissed her again and again she pretended he was Gerald Butler. He went to order another drink and when he came back, Emma said, "I'm sorry but I have to go. Early work today tomorrow. It was great to meet you".

"Here's my cell number. Call me if you want to spend more time together. I hope you do", said Edward.

"Thanks", said Emma. "Maybe I will".

Finally she was able to leave the bar. When she got to her car, Robin called her just like he said he was going to do.

"That was perfect. I got some great shots of you guys. You got the job", said Robin.

"Terrific. When do I officially start"? said Emma.

"Tomorrow. At 11. Be there", said Robin.

"Will do. Thank you and good night", said Emma.

"Goodnight", said Robin.


	21. Chapter 23

**This chapter will introduce the Merry Men..note: John is Little John and Sam is Friar Tuck.**

Emma got to Robin's office at 10:45. She was worried about leaving Granny in a lurch but Granny insisted that she would manage and eventually find someone else. When she arrived she saw Will sitting at the desk again. "Oh it's you", said Emma.

"Nice way to greet someone", said Will.

"I haven't forgotten last time. I didn't say anything because I did not want to jeopardize my job. Now I will speak my mind and say you acted like a jerk", said Emma.

"That was harsh. You don't even know me. I'm cute and loveable and sweet", said Will.

"Sure you are. By the way, who cleans this place anyhow"? said Emma. "Don't you have a cleaning service"?

"Robin always says he was going to get around to it. Maybe you can clean it up or something", said Will.

"Seriously, do I look like a maid? But I would be more than happy to look into a cleaning service for you guys", said Emma.

"Ask Robin about that", said Will.

About 5 minutes later, Robin walked in with several coffees. "Emma, this is for you. It is a plain coffee with cream and sugar on the side if you want it. I forgot to ask you what you like. Add it to the list in the kitchen and see where you are on the rotation to get coffee", said Robin. "After that come to my office and I will tell you more about the job".

So she went to his office and sat down.

"Okay I'm going to tell you about your main responsibilities. Most of investigating duties will be in the evening or night, so generally you will come in at 1 and work until 9. In the hours before your investigating duties, you will assist in answering the phones, filing, organizing this office. Also while you are at it, can you call in a cleaning service"?, said Robin.

Emma was kind of shocked. She did not know why she thought that she would only be doing investigating. She quickly recovered and said, "I think I will start with the cleaning service. Which phone should I use?"

"Use the one in the kitchen. Speaking of the kitchen, you can bring your lunch and put it in the refrigerator and eat during your lunch hour. You don't get paid for your lunch hour, but you are guaranteed a full hour unless we are shorthanded", said Robin. "I will introduce you to everyone quickly first. I know you met Will". Here is John* and Sam*. There is also a guy named Alan who works part time but is not here today. They all smiled and waved at Emma.

"Before I get started, is there either a computer or a phone book I can use to find a cleaning service"? said Emma.

"Oh right, we do also have another room with a computer that everyone can use. Go use that", said Robin.

Emma went to work. She looked up Yelp reviews, copied phone numbers and made calls and got estimates. About an hour later, she put the information on Robin's desk. He was not at his desk at the moment. She decided to try to organize some of his papers and make his office look more presentable. While she was cleaning she saw a photo of a little adorable boy. _His son? _Emma thought to herself. She looked at her watch a little while later and realized it was 1 PM and she was hungry. She was going to return to the diner to see how Granny was managing.

When Emma left Robin returned. He was impressed to see that his office looked more organized and that he saw the list of the potential cleaning services, in order by price.

Will was sitting at the desk looking at some YouTube videos. He sees another woman come in. This one is older but also attractive. He smiles at her and says, "And how can I help YOU?"

The woman rolls her eyes at him and says, "You can help me by getting Robin Hood. I would like to talk to him".

"Yeah the women all want to talk to him. What do you want", said Will.

"I'd prefer to talk to him. If you don't mind", said the woman.

"You'll have to wait a few minutes. Personal or business"? said Will.

"Business", said the woman.

"Great. Fill out this form while you were waiting", said Will.

The form was an inquiry form to find out what kind of services were needed and information about the client. Will then paged Robin and told him a potential client was waiting for him. "Who is it"? said Robin.

"I have no idea. But she is attractive", said Will.

Robin shakes his head in dismay. Typical Will. "I can meet with her in a few minutes".

"What's your name"? said Will to the client.

"You are still not trying to flirt with me are you"? said the woman.

"You remind me of someone. I can't think of who", said Will.

"Well I am Mary Margaret", said Mary Margaret.

"Ok then", said Will.

"Tell the woman to come in", said Robin.

Mary Margaret went in and said, "Hello Mr. Hood. I need your help. Here is my form with some information on how you can help me. Thanks for meeting with me".

Robin took note of her expensive clothing and jewelry and said, "No problem. Please let me know whatever I can do to help you and please call me Robin".

"Thank you. As you can see on the form I am trying to look for my long lost daughter, Emma Swan, who is presumed dead", said Mary Margaret.

"Emma Swan"? said Robin and he looked shocked. He quickly recovered and said, "Sorry I thought you said something else. I thought you said a Emma Smith. I know an Emma Smith".

Mary Margaret looked at Robin puzzled and said, "Yes Emma Swan".

"Well I would be more than happy to take your case, Mary Margaret", said Robin.


	22. Chapter 24

**Now I am going back to the past. We will see what happens to Regina and Mary Margaret. In the present, I started focusing on Henry and later chapters focusing on Emma. In the past, the primary focus is on Regina and later Mary Margaret. I will alternate between the 4 during the story. Through my research I learned about a program called Gateway to College. It started in 2000. Even though this is a lot earlier, I really liked the concept and decided to use it for Regina here. Thanks again for the reviews and favorites. Hope you enjoy and Happy New Year!**

_Silverbrooke, 1980_

Regina called Archie. "I need your help", said Regina.

"Sure with what"? said Archie.

"I need you to help me expedite the emancipation, guardianship and my inheritance", said Regina.

"Yeah you will need a lawyer for that", said Archie.

"So that means you will help"? said Regina.

"Personally I think to make things quicker, you would need a high profile lawyer, like the one who defended your mom, George Nolan", said Archie.

"But I want you", said Regina.

"Thanks, but if you are really serious about moving things along, someone like Mr. Nolan is the way to go", said Archie.

"Oh alright", said Regina.

She went to the district office to find out about alternatives to completing high school. There were a few options but she had to be at least 16 to participate in any of them. So really she had to stay in school for basically until the end of this school year. Perhaps she could continue to do the work in the library if she must attend there.

Now she was ready to call Mr. Nolan. She looked up his number and dialed his office. His secretary answered. "Hello, please could I make an appointment with Mr. Nolan", Regina said in her most grown up voice.

"Are you a current client"? said the secretary.

"No, but..", said Regina.

"He is not taking any new clients right now. He's too busy", said the secretary.

Regina was debating whether to go to the desperate maiden route or the ballsy demanding route. She thought with the secretary maybe the desperate route would work. "I really need Mr. Nolan's help. I"m all alone. I don't have any parents or relatives to help me and if he doesn't help my sister and I will be thrown in foster care", said Regina.

"How old are you"? said the secretary.

"16", Regina said. _Close enough, _she thought to herself.

"And your sister"? said the secretary.

"11", said Regina.

"You poor things", said the secretary. "I think the earliest I could get you in is next Monday".

"But if I don't get in sooner, they will take us away", said Regina.

"It is from my experience that Social Services does not move that fast with these things, but let me talk to Mr. Nolan. I may be able to work something out", said the secretary.

"Thank you so much. What is your name"? said Regina.

"Mrs. Worthington. I need your full name and phone", said Mrs. Worthington.

Regina gave her the information and hung up. She was so focused on everything she forgot about Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret was actually in her room sleeping. She didn't want to bother her, so she closed her door. She was thinking if she would be able to go to school tomorrow. She had no choice right now.

She got a call from Mrs. Worthington later that afternoon. "Hi Regina. You are in luck. Mr. Nolan wants to take your case and says he will meet with you this evening at 7".

"Thank you so much. I'll be there", said Regina.

Finally something was going right for Regina. Luckily she still had Mary Margaret's nanny, so she asked Johanna if she could stay a little later today and she said that it was okay. She got directions to the bus to his office. She made it there early. She noticed a café on the way and grabbed a tea. At first she thought she had made a mistake. It did not look like anyone was there since there were only one or two lights on and Mrs. Worthington or anyone was there. Hesitantly, she walked in. "Hello", called out Regina.

"Yes I'm here. I'll be out in a minute", said Mr. Nolan.

She was a little nervous but she kept her cool. "So we meet again, Regina", said Mr. Nolan. "When Mrs. Worthington told me your name and about your story, I was intrigued and decided to meet with you. I will likely take your case but I want to hear details first. Just to let you know before we start, I need $1000 for my retainer fee".

"I don't have that with me", said Regina. "I could try to get it soon though".

"I guess I can give you until tomorrow night", said Mr. Nolan.

"Tomorrow night"? said Regina.

"Yes tomorrow night. Will that be a problem"? said Mr. Nolan.

"I don't think so. Ok.", said Regina.

"Tell me what you need to do", said Mr. Nolan.

Regina told him the whole story starting from the will to the present.

"First of all, you don't need to worry about going into foster care. Social Services is so behind, it would take a least a week or two before they catch up to you and I could get things done before then", said Mr. Nolan. "You said you had a letter from your stepfather, so guardianship should not be a problem and I can get them to speed up on your inheritance from your stepfather and get permission for you to get your inheritance from your father at an earlier age, but you would have to have the emancipation in place first. Make sure you get me the money tomorrow and I can get things rolling for you".

"Okay. Thank you so much", said Regina.

"Don't mention it. Anything else? Because I need to go", said Mr. Nolan.

"No that is it", said Regina.

Regina was thinking how she would get the money for the retainer. She remembered her mother had some expensive jewelry she kept at home but some of it was in the safety deposit box. She hoped the jewelry at home was still there and enough. She could take it to a pawn store and get some money. Worst case scenario she would have to also pawn the necklace her father gave her years ago. It was very special to her and one of the few things she had left from her father.

Regina was able to work at the library in school again. She had found a phone book in the library and found a name of a pawn shop in Augusta that would work. She had found the jewelry in the morning. She hoped it would be enough but she would bring her necklace with her just in case. She also looked up directions to the pawn shop on the map. She would have to take the bus again but she was getting used to that.

The pawn shop was called Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop. It was in a not so great part of town. Regina dressed in a pair of jeans, wore a baseball cap and jacket as to not attract attention to her. She went in and had to wait a few minutes. Finally it was her turn. The guy at the desk looked at the jewelry and said he could give her $600. She would need to give in her necklace. She prayed that she could get it back. Then he said that her total would be $1000. She was relieved. She ran out of the store and caught a bus to Mr. Nolan's office. She saw Mrs. Worthington there and thanked her again and told her what happened. Mrs. Worthington told her she would page Mr. Nolan for her. About 10 minutes later he came out and she gave him the money.

"I start working on things tomorrow", said Mr. Nolan.

She went home and realized how tired she was.

"Where were you? Luckily Johanna was able to stay a little later today", said Mary Margaret.

"Sorry, but I will say that all the stuff I did today and yesterday is to help us", said Regina.

"Really? How"? said Mary Margaret.

"I will tell you more soon", said Regina. "Did Johanna feed you"?

"Yes. And you did you eat"? said Mary Margaret.

"No. I'll just grab something from the refrigerator", said Regina. She found a yogurt and quickly ate it. She told Mary Margaret that she was tired and was going to bed early.

"Regina, I found this envelope on the floor. I think it fell out of your jacket pocket", said Mary Margaret.

"Thanks and good night", said Regina. She grabbed the envelope and went upstairs. She got ready for bed. She was curious about the envelope, because she did not remember getting some letter or such and having it in her pocket. She ripped it open and saw there was a long letter in there with her name on it. Basically the author of the letter was telling her that he had the secrets to being independent and getting what you want from life. He explained his life story and how he came from nowhere and is now on top, with wealth and power. He stressed how you had to break ties with family, because they were going to hold you back. Regina thought it was all kind of creepy, so she stopped reading. She wasn't sure if she should throw it out, so she tossed it in the bottom of her closet and went to sleep.


	23. Chapter 25

**Just a quick note regarding some reviews. I won't go into details but I will state this even if canon couples are not together the whole time, I will NEVER completely break them up. Sometimes they cannot be together based on the storyline or sometimes I place obstacles to temporarily keep a couple apart but eventually they will remain together. Please keep this in mind when you read the story. I like all the main pairings on Once Upon a Time, so I want to keep them together in the long run. Thanks again and please do not hesitate to review and ask questions. Enjoy! **


	24. Chapter 26

**Now I am going back to the past. We will see what happens to Regina and Mary Margaret. In the present, I started focusing on Henry and later chapters focusing on Emma. In the past, the primary focus is on Regina and later Mary Margaret. I will alternate between the 4 during the story. Through my research I learned about a program called Gateway to College. It started in 2000. Even though this is a lot earlier, I really liked the concept and decided to use it for Regina here. Thanks again for the reviews and favorites. Hope you enjoy and Happy New Year!**

_Silverbrooke, 1980_

Regina called Archie. "I need your help", said Regina.

"Sure with what"? said Archie.

"I need you to help me expedite the emancipation, guardianship and my inheritance", said Regina.

"Yeah you will need a lawyer for that", said Archie.

"So that means you will help"? said Regina.

"Personally I think to make things quicker, you would need a high profile lawyer, like the one who defended your mom, George Nolan", said Archie.

"But I want you", said Regina.

"Thanks, but if you are really serious about moving things along, someone like Mr. Nolan is the way to go", said Archie.

"Oh alright", said Regina.

She went to the district office to find out about alternatives to completing high school. There were a few options but she had to be at least 16 to participate in any of them. So really she had to stay in school for basically until the end of this school year. Perhaps she could continue to do the work in the library if she must attend there.

Now she was ready to call Mr. Nolan. She looked up his number and dialed his office. His secretary answered. "Hello, please could I make an appointment with Mr. Nolan", Regina said in her most grown up voice.

"Are you a current client"? said the secretary.

"No, but..", said Regina.

"He is not taking any new clients right now. He's too busy", said the secretary.

Regina was debating whether to go to the desperate maiden route or the ballsy demanding route. She thought with the secretary maybe the desperate route would work. "I really need Mr. Nolan's help. I"m all alone. I don't have any parents or relatives to help me and if he doesn't help my sister and I will be thrown in foster care", said Regina.

"How old are you"? said the secretary.

"16", Regina said. _Close enough, _she thought to herself.

"And your sister"? said the secretary.

"12", said Regina.

"You poor things", said the secretary. "I think the earliest I could get you in is next Monday".

"But if I don't get in sooner, they will take us away", said Regina.

"It is from my experience that Social Services does not move that fast with these things, but let me talk to Mr. Nolan. I may be able to work something out", said the secretary.

"Thank you so much. What is your name"? said Regina.

"Mrs. Worthington. I need your full name and phone", said Mrs. Worthington.

Regina gave her the information and hung up. She was so focused on everything she forgot about Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret was actually in her room sleeping. She didn't want to bother her, so she closed her door. She was thinking if she would be able to go to school tomorrow. She had no choice right now.

She got a call from Mrs. Worthington later that afternoon. "Hi Regina. You are in luck. Mr. Nolan wants to take your case and says he will meet with you this evening at 7".

"Thank you so much. I'll be there", said Regina.

Finally something was going right for Regina. Luckily she still had Mary Margaret's nanny, so she asked Johanna if she could stay a little later today and she said that it was okay. She got directions to the bus to his office. She made it there early. She noticed a café on the way and grabbed a tea. At first she thought she had made a mistake. It did not look like anyone was there since there were only one or two lights on and Mrs. Worthington or anyone was there. Hesitantly, she walked in. "Hello", called out Regina.

"Yes I'm here. I'll be out in a minute", said Mr. Nolan.

She was a little nervous but she kept her cool. "So we meet again, Regina", said Mr. Nolan. "When Mrs. Worthington told me your name and about your story, I was intrigued and decided to meet with you. I will likely take your case but I want to hear details first. Just to let you know before we start, I need $1000 for my retainer fee".

"I don't have that with me", said Regina. "I could try to get it soon though".

"I guess I can give you until tomorrow night", said Mr. Nolan.

"Tomorrow night"? said Regina.

"Yes tomorrow night. Will that be a problem"? said Mr. Nolan.

"I don't think so. Ok.", said Regina.

"Tell me what you need to do", said Mr. Nolan.

Regina told him the whole story starting from the will to the present.

"First of all, you don't need to worry about going into foster care. Social Services is so behind, it would take a least a week or two before they catch up to you and I could get things done before then", said Mr. Nolan. "You said you had a letter from your stepfather, so guardianship should not be a problem and I can get them to speed up on your inheritance from your stepfather and get permission for you to get your inheritance from your father at an earlier age, but you would have to have the emancipation in place first. Make sure you get me the money tomorrow and I can get things rolling for you".

"Okay. Thank you so much", said Regina.

"Don't mention it. Anything else? Because I need to go", said Mr. Nolan.

"No that is it", said Regina.

Regina was thinking how she would get the money for the retainer. She remembered her mother had some expensive jewelry she kept at home but some of it was in the safety deposit box. She hoped the jewelry at home was still there and enough. She could take it to a pawn store and get some money. Worst case scenario she would have to also pawn the necklace her father gave her years ago. It was very special to her and one of the few things she had left from her father.

Regina was able to work at the library in school again. She had found a phone book in the library and found a name of a pawn shop in Augusta that would work. She had found the jewelry in the morning. She hoped it would be enough but she would bring her necklace with her just in case. She also looked up directions to the pawn shop on the map. She would have to take the bus again but she was getting used to that.

The pawn shop was called Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop. It was in a not so great part of town. Regina dressed in a pair of jeans, wore a baseball cap and jacket as to not attract attention to her. She went in and had to wait a few minutes. Finally it was her turn. The guy at the desk looked at the jewelry and said he could give her $600. She would need to give in her necklace. She prayed that she could get it back. Then he said that her total would be $1000. She was relieved. She ran out of the store and caught a bus to Mr. Nolan's office. She saw Mrs. Worthington there and thanked her again and told her what happened. Mrs. Worthington told her she would page Mr. Nolan for her. About 10 minutes later he came out and she gave him the money.

"I start working on things tomorrow", said Mr. Nolan.

She went home and realized how tired she was.

"Where were you? Luckily Johanna was able to stay a little later today", said Mary Margaret.

"Sorry, but I will say that all the stuff I did today and yesterday is to help us", said Regina.

"Really? How"? said Mary Margaret.

"I will tell you more soon", said Regina. "Did Johanna feed you"?

"Yes. And you did you eat"? said Mary Margaret.

"No. I'll just grab something from the refrigerator", said Regina. She found a yogurt and quickly ate it. She told Mary Margaret that she was tired and was going to bed early.

"Regina, I found this envelope on the floor. I think it fell out of your jacket pocket", said Mary Margaret.

"Thanks and good night", said Regina. She grabbed the envelope and went upstairs. She got ready for bed. She was curious about the envelope, because she did not remember getting some letter or such and having it in her pocket. She ripped it open and saw there was a long letter in there with her name on it. Basically the author of the letter was telling her that he had the secrets to being independent and getting what you want from life. He explained his life story and how he came from nowhere and is now on top, with wealth and power. He stressed how you had to break ties with family, because they were going to hold you back. Regina thought it was all kind of creepy, so she stopped reading. She wasn't sure if she should throw it out, so she tossed it in the bottom of her closet and went to sleep.


	25. Chapter 27

**This is the chapter of the beginning of Regina's descent into Evil. Enjoy!**

Things moved quicker than Regina expected. Before she knew it, she was emancipated, was a guardian and had her inheritance. So the first thing she did was go back to the pawn shop. She suspected she got that letter when she was there. She would just do her business quick and get out of there. She tried to keep a low profile but one of the workers asked her if she got the letter. She played dumb and said, "What letter? I didn't see anything. I'll have to check later". She was able to get all the jewelry back. She wouldn't wear her mother's jewelry but good to have it for insurance in case of an emergency.

Regina finally filled in Mary Margaret on what went on and how she is now her guardian. Mary Margaret was relieved. She still seemed a bit withdrawn but not as bad as the time just after her father died. She also paid a visit to Archie. "Thanks again for everything. You were really there for me when I needed it. I want to give you something", said Regina.

"I could not take anything from you", said Archie.

"Don't be ridiculous. Think of it as my good deed for this time period and also as an investment. I'm giving you this check for $20,000 with the stipulation that you go back to school to become a psychologist. It is just a start but I think it will be a big help. You will do everyone a favor by not being a lawyer. So take it and not say another word", said Regina.

"This is unbelievable. I don't know how to thank you", said Archie.

"You can thank me by going back to school and become a psychologist. You have my phone number. Call me when you are enrolled", said Regina.

The next few weeks went by surprisingly fast. At first it didn't because Regina was trying to adjust to being the head of a household. She was debating on whether to take on all the responsibilities herself, like paying the bills and paying staff or get a manager to do it for her. She decided to take the responsibilities herself and save the money. It was tough at first to get the hang of this routine but she got it. Before she knew it, it was mid May and a month away to her sixteenth birthday. Her mother and stepfather planned a big Sweet 16 party for her. She was wondering if she should still go through with it. Everything was booked and pretty much picked out. She would lose a lot of money if she cancelled. But she kept on thinking of two things. First of all, was it proper to have a big party after her stepfather died? And secondly, after all that happened, did she have all the people to invite that would have originally been invited?

She contacted Mallory to get some advice. Mallory convinced her to go through with the party and told her she had some friends from her school that she could invite and told her to reach out to some of her friends from her old boarding school. Regina had a few addresses of some of the girls there and decided to try. When looking for the phone numbers, she came across Victoria's number. "_Should she invite her"?, _she thought to herself. She put that thought aside for now and decided to put that off.

She decided not to mention anything about the party for now to Mary Margaret. She sent out some invitation and made sure she got a hold of the mail before Mary Margaret did. Most of the people were coming but only 2 of the 5 people she invited from her boarding school were attending. She made a spur of the moment decision to invite Victoria. Surprisingly, Victoria responded "yes".

Finally it was a week before the party. She decided to tell Mary Margaret about it. Mary Margaret did not take this too well and told Regina what she thought about it. "Listen, I know you really want this party and you deserve it but it is not the right time and appropriate. It is not all about the money. We should do the right thing".

"What do you know about money"? said Regina. "You are not in charge of the finances. It's not just about the party. We cannot afford to waste money right now. I went through a lot too. I earned this party. If you don't want to go, then don't go. I can get Johanna to watch you that night. But respect my right to have this party".

Mary Margaret looked shocked and did not say anything more. However the day of the party, she came to Regina and said, "I still don't agree about what you are doing and I was just upset. But that does not give me the right to say what I did. I hope you enjoy the party, you DO deserve it".

Regina was still annoyed at Mary Margaret but did not show it and said, "Thanks". She put it out of her mind and waited for Mallory to show up and then they would go together to the Country Club for the party. "Hey Regina. Happy Birthday. Your sister is not going"? said Mallory.

"Yes and I don't want to talk about it. Let's go", said Regina.

Regina was having fun at the party but then the guilty thoughts came into her head. She was frustrated. Thanks to Mary Margaret, she started not to enjoy herself as much as she should. Mallory picked up on this and came over to her and said, "What's wrong Regina"?

"Do you think it is wrong for me to have this party"? said Regina.

"Are you kidding? No way, you deserve this party. I bet your stepfather would want you to have this party too and probably think it would be foolish if you cancelled it", said Mallory.

"Thanks, you are probably right. I'm not going to think about that anymore" said Regina. She went back and enjoyed herself.

The next two years went by fast. Between her fun summer at Mallory's summerhouse and Mary Margaret at sleep away camp, her studies in the Gateway to College program and Mary Margaret going away to the same boarding school she attended before her mother married her stepfather, there was not much time to be bored. She even went back to Mallory's the following summer and the summer after that. Mary Margaret was reluctant about attending the boarding school but ended up loving it. But in the fall of her last year before she would attend college, Regina started panicking. Would she be able to enjoy herself at college or would she have to deal with Mary Margaret and her issues all the time. It wasn't an issue now but when she attended college, she did not want to have the worries of being a guardian, she just wanted to go and enjoy the college experience.

She temporarily put it out of her mind and applied for colleges. Her first choice was Boston University. Her grades were phenomenal and her unusual life experience made for a great essay. So in that respect, it was a good idea to become Mary Margaret's guardian. She was overjoyed when she got accepted to Boston University in the spring. She had spoke to Mallory. She worried that her friend would not be able to get into Boston University. Her friend quickly reassured her that she was a legacy and her father and grandfather attended the university, so she was a shoo-in. Again in the Spring, she thought about her situation with Mary Margaret. She wished there was some way she could get rid of the responsibility of Mary Margaret. She was at a loss on how to do it though.

Suddenly, she thought about that letter she gotten two years ago, likely from Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop. She wondered if it was from him actually. She knew that Mr. Gold was known as the Scottish Mobster and the king of the notorious rags to riches story. There was some special about him on 48 Hours or one of those shows. She normally did not watch those things, but it was on shortly after she got that letter and was curious. Sure she didn't have to worry about finances, but she remembered from the letter and from the special how it was stated that he succeeded by putting himself first and getting rid of all obstacles, most of all family. She wondered if she should go back to the store and see if she could talk to Mr. Gold. It could be a long shot. Maybe he would not want to talk to her or it was too late. Or maybe it was a scam or the like.

She had nothing to lose, so she decided to pay a visit to Mr. Gold.


	26. Chapter 28

**Sorry for the delay in the next chapter. I had just gotten over being sick. Between catching up on things and having less time to write than I did over the holidays, had caused me to fall behind. Again I want to thank you for your support and patience. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

In order, to not make Mary Margaret or Johanna suspcious, Regina made an excuse that they ran out of some food items at home and she had to get them. Now she had the luxury of driving instead of taking the bus. She was so happy to have that freedom of being able to get where she wanted to, when she wanted to. Plus it was a lot easier for her to get away when she just wanted some time for herself. She bought herself a new car, but she decided she would not go overboard and get a BMW or Mercedes. She conceded by getting a Honda Accord, but it was a sporty model with all the upgrades including a moon roof. However as much as she wanted to take her car, she was worried about the neighborhood, so she drove to a bus stop 5 minutes away and took the bus there.

She didn't know why she was shocked when the guy behind the counter was very dismissive when she asked to see Mr. Gold. She didn't know why she thought that Mr. Gold would just be dying to see her. He said, "Yeah, do you have an appointment"?

"An appointment"? said Regina. _How was she supposed to make an appointment?_ _It was not like she had his phone number, _she thought to herself. "No I don't. How do I make one?

"Write down when you are available and a way to contact you and we'll get back to you", said the guy.

"I don't want to give you my home phone number in case my sister or her sitter picks up. I could give you this pay phone number I used..

"Stop right there. It sounds like too much trouble. Just give me your address and I'll send you a message with your appointment time", said the guy.

"Ok then", said Regina. She wrote down the information and waited for the bus. She put it out of her mind for the next few days. It was easy to do so because she had to focus on studying for some of her AP tests.

Six days later, Regina got a letter. She figured it was from the guy from Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop because it was handwritten and did not have a return address on it. She was told to come to the store the next day at 4 PM. Regina was trying to figure out what to wear to see Mr. Gold. What did one wear when meeting a mobster legend? She wanted to look inconspicuous so she wore a dressy pair of jeans and a semi casual button down shirt. She decided to get there a little early. She was absentmindedly playing with an old fashioned globe on the display when she heard a voice say, "Dearie, didn't anyone ever tell you not to play with valuable merchandise? Then you might break it and have to buy it".

"Oh excuse me. Are you Mr. Gold"? said Regina.

"The one and only. What do you want"? said Mr. Gold.

"What do I want? You were the one who sent me that letter right"? said Regina.

"What letter? I write a lot of letters or sign a lot of letters", said Mr. Gold.

"The one you wrote me two years ago"? said Regina.

"You expect me to remember a letter I wrote you two years ago!. And why are you first getting back me now"? said Mr. Gold.

"But you do know who I am"? said Regina.

"Yes I do. Let's go into my office and talk some more", said Mr. Gold.

She went into his office. "But how do you know who I am if you don't remember who I am"? said Regina. Regina was getting worried, how did he know who she was? Well he was a powerful and mysterious man, he must have his ways. She was suspicious but she forced herself to put those thoughts aside because she was desperate.

"Questions, questions. I don't have time for all of them. Dearie, did you come because you want to make a deal with you"? said Mr. Gold.

"I didn't come to sell or buy something in the shop", said Regina.

"That's not what I mean. You wouldn't risk coming here in this neighborhood and also risk your loved ones finding out if you didn't want me to do something for you", said Mr. Gold.

"Well actually I just came for some advice", said Regina.

"That's not how this works. You tell me what you need and if I can help you, you have to give me something I need", said Mr. Gold.

"I'm not even sure what I need", said Regina.

"You think I just help people for free", said Mr. Gold.

Regina started to get up and said, "I'm sorry to have wasted your time. Let me just go and.."

"Wait. Maybe there is something I can do. Just loan me that necklace you are wearing and tell me what's going on", said Mr. Gold.

Regina touched her necklace. She just got it back and didn't want to have to worry about losing it again.

"Hesitating Dearie? Well then I guess this is all. Good night", said Mr. Gold.

"It's just it's the only thing I have left from my father", said Regina.

"If you want my help you must trust me, you have no choice", said Mr. Gold.

"Okay", said Regina as she slowly took off her necklace.

"Hmm, pretty", said Mr. Gold.

"So, I decided to come to see you because I thought about that letter. I figured someone who was able to rise from the slums of Augusta and rise to power as one of the most powerful men in the United States, was someone really smart who would be able to help me", said Regina.

"Just get it out. I don't have all day", said Mr. Gold.

"I don't know what to do. I am attending college this fall and I don't know what I am going to do with my sister", said Regina.

"Why is that a problem. Why do you have to worry about your sister. Doesn't she have your parents to take care of her or is she an adult who can take care of herself"? said Mr. Gold.

"I'm her guardian. If I go away to school and leave her in boarding school, I'm worried she will need something from me and bother me", said Regina.

"I don't see why you need my help with this. Do what other neglectful parents do, send her a lot of money and tell her her to figure it out herself", said Mr. Gold.

"I want to start anew. I want to have a great and fun college experience. I don't want to be known as the girl to be pitied because her father and stepfather died and she was forced to take of her sister. I just want to be a regular young adult with the usual worries of a girl that age", said Regina.

"I could give you some advice, but you probably won't like it", said Mr. Gold.


	27. Chapter 29

**I don't think that is true if you go to Military School, you must commit yourself to enlisting. I doubt it is, but just for the point of my story, I am making it true for storyline purposes.** **Thanks for bearing with me.**

"Relinquish your duties to her, put her in foster care", said Mr. Gold.

"That's your great advice"? said Regina. "I'm not sure putting her in foster care is the answer".

"That's the answer. And you know it too. I just think you are afraid. Either get over it or figure something else out. You seem smart enough", said Mr. Gold.

"But..", said Regina.

"But nothing. You asked for my advice and I gave it to you. Just because you don't like it, doesn't mean you cannot ask for new advice. Maybe I misjudged you or you are not ready. Either way, I have nothing else to say to you. Goodbye", said Mr. Gold.

Regina was still standing there in shock when Mr. Gold nudged her out the door and slammed it in her face.

_"That didn't go well",_ said Regina to herself. Mary Margaret was in a sleep away camp. She was thinking of visiting Mallory soon and spending some time with her. Maybe she should do it this weekend. She called up Mallory and they agreed to meet at Mallory's family summer place in Kennebunkport.

That weekend she arrived at Mallory's around 12 PM. "Hey how are you? You look preoccupied. What's up"? said Mallory.

"Let's order in a pizza first and then I will tell you", said Regina. About 20 minutes later, Regina told Mallory what was going on.

"I don't get what is the big deal. Sending her to that boarding school seemed to work so far. Why not continue that"? said Mallory.

"It's different now. I was tied to home and school here and did not have much of a social life. It wasn't a big deal if Mary Margaret came or not home for vacations and the holidays. In fact, I don't even think I would come home myself for the holidays. I like Boston and I would stay there all year round or I can visit you sometimes too", said Regina. "What would I do with Mary Margaret?

"I think I am missing something. Am I correct"? said Mallory.

"Well I want to start anew in college. I want to be a carefree young adult college student, not a guardian/mother", said Regina.

"Hmm so what can you do then"? said Mallory.

"I don't know, get her arrested and have her put in Juvie"? said Regina.

"Possibly, but I may have another idea", said Mallory. "You didn't know me back then, but my parents sent me to a military school back when I was Mary Margaret's age".

"How did that work out"? said Regina.

"Not good. My parents did not get the desired results, I was sent home in 3 months", said Mallory.

"That's not going to help. Then she won't be in school and will be a bigger problem", said Regina.

"From what I know about Mary Margaret, she is nothing like me," said Mallory. "Haven't you commented how she always sees the best in everything and does not like to give up when things are tough"?

"Yes that is definitely true. Maybe that is not such a bad idea", said Regina.

"Let me give you the information", said Mallory. Regina hung out there for a week. They had so much fun. Between the boys, the drinking and the general mischief, they almost felt they were already in college.

When Regina got back, she researched the school. It actually did not seem like a bad idea. It said if Mary Margaret stayed there past age 16, she would be making a commitment to enlist in the Army. That would solve her problem that way. If she didn't, well she did not have to worry about that now. She was trying to figure out how she would be able to enroll Mary Margaret without her finding out, if that was even possible. She found out with the help of money and some good acting, she was able to get around the interview and essay by disguising it slightly for Mary Margaret, so she would not know what it is. At first the Admissions officer was reluctant but once she did some research and found out that the Military school desperately needed extra money, she was able to make her case to the Head of Admissions.

She made Mary Margaret think she had to apply to another boarding school because she could no longer afford this school. Regina put on a whole story about having to save enough money for them for college and for other expenses down the line. Mary Margaret seemed to buy it.

**To make things a little more interesting, I decided to focus on Mary Margaret's POV (point of view) a little bit. Then in 2 chapters I will go back to Regina's POV and probably alternate every 2 chapters. If you think this is too confusing, let me know, and maybe I can change it a little bit (maybe increase the amount of chapters that I change the POV). **

**Mary Margaret's POV**

Mary Margaret was going to stay at one of her friends who lived in Massachusetts, not far from Connecticut, where the school was. Her previous boarding school was in Massachusetts and many of the girls there were from that state. Her friend, Jody, asked her the name of the school. Mary Margaret lied and said, "I cannot remember. But whatever it is, it cannot be as good as our school".

Jody wondered why she didn't remember, but didn't say anything. Maybe her friend was upset that she wasn't going back to her school and didn't want to talk about it. So Jody changed the subject. They were talking about going to Cape Cod for a quick getaway before school started. Two days later they left and spent a long weekend there with Jody's parents and her brother in a private beach side cabin. It was so much fun. Before Mary Margaret knew it, it was time to go back and get ready for school. She was thinking about Regina and wondered how she liked college. It sounded so exciting to go to college. She was asking Regina questions about it but Regina put her off, saying she was too busy to talk. Maybe she could send her a letter or call her when she got to school. Regina was nice enough to set up a car service for her to pick her up at Jody's house.

Her friend Jody was leaving for school the day after Mary Margaret left. Jody's mom was nice enough to wake up early and make a nice breakfast for the girls. Jody gave her lots of hugs and told her to give her the address and phone number when she got to school, so they could write and talk. As the car pulled up, she started to feel nervous but kept it to herself. She went to the car and prepared herself for the 2 hour car ride.


	28. Chapter 30

**Mary Margaret's POV**

When she pulled up to the school, it did not look anything like her old school. Her old school had beautiful old fashioned stone buildings with ivy and this one looked more like her old middle school but bigger. But it was not fair to judge the school based on appearances, maybe it was just as good or nearly as good as her old boarding school. The driver dropped her off in front of the building called Admissions. She thought she saw a few people on campus that were wearing uniforms, like ones in the military? She was confused.

She saw a secretary, so she went to talk to her. "Excuse me, what school is this"? said Mary Margaret.

"Well it's the Glenwood Military Academy for Boys and Girls of course", said the secretary.

"Did I hear you right? Military Academy? I'm sorry I must be in the wrong place. I'm supposed to be at...", said Mary Margaret. She stopped for a second. She didn't know the name of the school. How could that be? She remembered asking Regina the name and she was always too busy to give her the answer. So why didn't she pressure her more to tell her? Maybe part of her did not want to know? Or was she preoccupied with camp? Either way she didn't know.

"Where are you supposed to be"? said the secretary.

"I'm sorry. To be honest, I don't know. Sounds silly right? My driver dropped me off here. Maybe there is another school around here and he got mixed up"? said Mary Margaret.

"Only a public school, but that is probably not it right"? said the secretary.

"I guess not. I'm sorry", said Mary Margaret.

"What's your name"? said the secretary.

"Mary Margaret", said Mary Margaret.

"Mary Margaret. That name sounds familiar. I was going through the list of new students before and I thought I saw that name. Here's the list. Yes it says, Mary Margaret Blanchard. Is that you"? said the secretary.

"Yes, but that must be a mistake. You see I am supposed to go to a new boarding school, but not a military school. Maybe there is a Glenwood Boarding School out there and the driver got mixed up", said Mary Margaret.

"Look at the list here. That is your name right"? said the secretary.

"Yes. Wait let me call my sister", said Mary Margaret. "Maybe though it is a mistake".

"You can if you like. We have a pay phone around the corner", said the secretary.

As Mary Margaret went to leave to make the call, she realized she did not have Regina's number at college. She said to Mary Margaret, she would call her this evening to see how she is doing and then give her the number.

Mary Margaret came back. "Looks like her number is busy. I guess I am here for now at least. Where am I supposed to go, what am I supposed to do"? said Mary Margaret.

"Your dorm is Goldenwood Hall. I am calling one of the orientation leaders to take you over to your dorm", said the secretary. A few minutes later an attractive Asian teenager came to the office. "Hi Mulan. This is Mary Margaret. Please take her to Goldenwood Hall", said the secretary. "Sure Ms. Banks", said Mulan.

Mulan and Mary Margaret walked to the dorm. "So where are you from Mary Margaret"? said Mulan.

"Maine and you"? said Mary Margaret.

"New York. Have you been"? said Mulan.

"Once for a school trip", said Mary Margaret.

"This is a good school once you get used to it", said Mulan.

"I think I am not staying here long. I am here by mistake", said Mary Margaret.

"Uh-huh", said Mulan as she nodded.

"Ms. Banks said to give this to you. It is your orientation packet. It has your roommate's name, orientation information and other important school information", said Mulan.

"Thank you", said Mary Margaret.

"This is your dorm here. What room does it say on your sheet"? said Mulan.

"205", said Mary Margaret.

"That's on the second floor. You'll see the stairs on the right when you go in", said Mulan. "And don't say anything about being in this school is a mistake. It may or may not be true, but won't help you here".

"Ok then. Thanks for your help", said Mary Margaret.

Mary Margaret went inside the dorm. She looked at the sheet with her roommate assignment and it said her name is Susan Barker. She made her way up to the 2nd floor and found the room. There was a young lady in there and it looked her side of the room was all set up already.

"You are Mary Margaret"? said the girl as she looked her up and down.

"Yes and you are Susan"? said Mary Margaret.

"Yes. What brings you to this school"? said Susan.

"It was my stepsister's idea", said Mary Margaret.

"Really? Why"? said Susan.

"I don't know", said Mary Margaret.

"What she doesn't like you or something"? said Susan.

Mary Margaret frowned and said defensively, "Maybe she thought it would be a good experience".

"Whoa, I was just kidding", said Susan. "Anyhow I'm here because I eventually want to join the military and being in the military will help me afford college and maybe provide me with some career ideas, because I have no idea what to do".

"Not a bad idea", said Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret unpacked her stuff. Susan was talking about her family and her brothers and sisters. She mentioned that she was from Connecticut in a small town about 1 hour from the school. Close enough if she needed something from her family but far enough so she did not have to see them all the time. She asked Mary Margaret about her family but Mary Margaret was very vague.

Mary Margaret said, "My parents are dead, my sister is raising me". She did not volunteer any more information and Susan decided not to ask at this point.

Susan said, "I heard we have an orientation meeting in one hour. We can walk over together if you like".

Mary Margaret said, "Okay".

They walked over together to the building with the auditorium. They found it because they saw a bunch of other kids walking in that direction towards the building. A stern looking guy with a buzz cut came to the front and introduced himself.

"I'm the headmaster, Major Daniels. Welcome to Glenwood Military Academy. We have a great variety of programs and classes for you to take here and I have some of the staff here to describe them to you", said Major Daniels.

Most of the staff looked as stern as the Major but one person stood out. It was a younger looking attractive man. His name was Captain Humbert. He was in charge of the shooting classes and driving range. He also did some of the gym classes too. He had kind eyes compared to the other meaner looking teachers. Mary Margaret noticed a lot of the other girls looked at him too. About 1 hour later, the meeting was over and they were told they had some free time before dinner. Mary Margaret decided to try the admissions office to see if Regina called her.

The secretary told her there were no calls for her. Maybe Regina was really busy and was going to get to her later. She was told curfew was at 9. She hoped she tried to call before then. She decided to go back to her dorm for a little bit.


	29. Chapter 31

**I included 2 OUAT characters in the last chapter. One is obvious and the other may not be as obvious. In fact, I did not even know the character's last name until recently and thought his first name was his last name. Also I said he was good at hitting targets, so that may be some good clues to figure out who he is. I will find a way to include his first name later on..perhaps a few chapters later. So back temporarily to Regina's POV. Enjoy.**

**Regina's POV**

Regina was so happy. It was the day she was leaving for college. Mary Margaret had asked her a bunch of questions about college including about giving her Regina's college phone number. She put her off by saying she didn't have it yet or was busy and was going to give it to her later. It was tiring pretending to be nice to Mary Margaret, but she only had to do a little bit longer. Mary Margaret was getting ready to go to her friend Jody's house for a few days. After Mary Margaret left, Regina packed up her car and got ready to leave to go to school.

It was going to take nearly 3 hours to get there. Regina had a few mix tapes she made to get her through the car ride. She liked a variety of music, so the mix tapes were truly that, a mix of everything. Finally she saw signs for Boston, so she knew she was not that far. She was so excited to get to the college and see Mallory and meet new people.

She was disappointed when Mallory told her that they could not dorm together. Her father only agreed for Mallory to go to Boston University as long as for the first year, she had a roommate he approved and she did not get any grades lower than a B-. Mallory threw a fit when she heard that but there was no way of getting around it and she finally relented. She told Regina that she was sorry they could not be roommates and explained why. Her roommate was a friend of her father's daughter who agreed to "spy" on her for her dad.

Regina had received the name of her roommate. It is Isabella Tinker. She was from Boston, MA. She was excited to meet her. Finally she was in the vicinity of the college. She found out where she could park and took the map she got from the college and proceeded to her dorm, Myles Annex. It did not take that long to get there. Her roommate assignment sheet said that she was in room 150. It was a double room. When she got there, Isabella was not there yet, so she picked one side. Both sides appeared to be identical to each other, so it did not matter which one she picked. The room was not as luxurious as she was used to, but with a few touches, she could make it seem more like her room at home. When she was half way done unpacking, a young lady walked in.

"Hi. Are you Regina Mills"? said the young lady.

"Hi. Yes, are you Isabella Tinker"? said Regina.

"Yes but call me Tink", said Tink.

"Okay. I hope you don't mind I took this side", said Regina as she pointed to her side of the room.

"No, not at all", said Tink.

"I'm so excited about going to college and all. It should be fun", said Tink.

"Yes I am sure it will be", said Regina.

"Great. So you are from Maine"? said Tink.

"Yes a small town outside of Augusta. You probably haven't heard of it", said Regina.

"Oh ok. Yes I haven't been to Maine. Is it nice there"? said Tink.

"Quiet but nice. I'm happy to be back in Boston", said Regina.

"Back in Boston"? said Tink nervously.

"Yes...I lived here when I was younger", said Regina. "It was the Society Hill area. You familiar with it"?

"Sure of course", said Tink. She quickly changed the topic. "So what do you do for fun in Maine", said Tink.

"I used to horseback ride, but I haven't done it in a while. I like to go to movies and shopping and reading", said Regina.

"I like to design clothes, see movies, read and watch tv", said Tink.

"I was noticing your clothes. Did you design them yourself? They are great", said Regina.

"Yes I did. I really enjoy doing it. It is so fun", said Tink.

"I like them. They seem unique, not like anything you see in the stores", said Regina.

"Well I use the fashions I see in the stores and magazines for inspiration and put my own twist on it", said Tink.

"Your ideas definitely work", said Regina. "I would love to have a shirt like that".

"I could probably make you one, but it would take some time", said Tink.

"Really? That would be great", said Regina.

They talked for a bit longer while Regina and Tink continued to unpack. When they were close to getting done Regina told Tink about her friend Mallory and how she was going to meet her for dinner. Tink asked if she minded if she joined them and Regina said that it was ok. They were going to meet at the dining hall for dinner around 6.

Regina and Mallory were so happy to see each other, they gave each other a big hug when they saw each other. It was like they haven't seen each other in years, not weeks. "Mallory, this is my roommate, Isabella, but she goes by her nickname Tink", said Regina.

"Nice to meet you Tink. I love your shirt. Where did you get it"? said Mallory.

"I made it", said Tink.

"Fabulous. I wish I had one like it", said Mallory.

"I told Regina I would make her a shirt. I could do one for you too but as I explained to her, it will take a long time, but I would be happy to do it", said Tink.

"Thanks. Where are you from"? said Mallory.

"Right here in Boston", said Tink.

"Did you know that Regina is originally from Boston"? said Mallory. "Maybe you know some people in common".

"Oh well I been in boarding school for many years, so I have not kept in touch with the people I know from Boston", said Tink.

"Which school? I been to most of them, so I probably know which one you go to," said Mallory.

"Some small school in New Hampshire, you'd probably wouldn't know it", said Tink.

"Actually you are probably right. That is the one state I did not go to school", said Mallory.

"Where's your roommate", said Regina. "Doesn't she have to attend with you"?

"Oh Diane? She's here. She's sitting with a friend of hers from home", said Mallory.

"Ugh cafeteria style food. Looks gross", said Mallory. "Hopefully they have some bread or salad or something".

"I'm sure they do", said Regina. "At least I hope so".

They indeed found the salad bar and bread and even a cereal bar and a stir fry station (which made the food to order) too. They got seats at a small table for 4. Regina and Mallory were mainly talking amongst themselves but Tink did not mind. She was just happy to make some new friends and all. Before they knew it, dinner was over and Mallory asked if they wanted to come to her dorm and hang out for a bit. Diane was going to hang out at her friend's room for a bit. Both Regina and Tink agreed. Mallory had to run to the bathroom quickly which left Regina and Tink alone.

"Hey I'm sorry. I hope you did not feel left out. It's just Mallory and I had so much to catch up on", said Regina.

"It's okay. How do you know each other"? said Tink.

"Well you may not know, but we are both Senator's daughters and we met at some sort of special event and then met again at a similar event the year after and became friends", said Regina.

"That is great", said Tink. A few minutes later Mallory came back and they went back to her dorm.


	30. Chapter 32

**I am introducing even more OUAT characters in upcoming chapters. Hint: it will be in Regina's POV. Also I am going to start from Tink's POV (briefly), so you can get a better idea of what she is about in this story. I hope you are enjoying the story and please review if you like it, I would greatly appreciate it.**

** Tink's POV**

Tink called her mom when Regina went to the bathroom. She was exhilarated yet nervous, that she had been able to get away about not revealing her true self. She thought she was going to be caught yesterday in the lie about the boarding school when Mallory asked her about that. Luckily she wasn't. She wondered if the two Senator's daughters would think the same about her if they really knew she was just an ordinary girl who did not have a prestigious background.

Basically she was just a charity case. She was able to attend Boston University because her mom worked there. Employee's children got greatly reduced tuition (80% off). Also each employee who had a child attending had a chance to enter a raffle to win free room and board at the University for two years. She was the lucky winner this year. Her mom was a secretary in the English Department. Her mother would not be described as very exciting or interesting. She is conservative, traditional, thrifty and super religious. Very embarrassing most of the time. But she still cannot forget that her mother was always there for her. Her father left them when she was 4 and she hadn't seen him since then. Her mother had worked at times 2 jobs to support them.

Her mother was not that happy about her lying about who she was and her family. But she decided to support her because she wanted to be happy. She was confused about her mother's reaction when she heard that her roommate was Regina Mills, daughter of former Senator Howard Mills. She was very quiet and did not say much. She heard the news and read the newspapers and knew about her family, but that didn't mean that Regina was like that.

**Regina's POV**

Mallory called their room at 9:45 AM to tell them that she was not going to join them for breakfast after all. She was still very tired. She asked if they could bring her back a banana or something.

Regina told Tink about this and Tink said, "That's no problem. We can stop by and drop her off some fruit or tea or something".

They walked over to the dining hall. It was busy but not as crowded as they thought. They got their food and the fruit for Mallory. Tink asked Regina, "What is your favorite color? It would help me in designing your shirt".

"Black is my favorite color. Strange huh? I guess because I thought it always looked the best on me", said Regina.

"Green is my favorite color. Which you will see when I wear more of my wardrobe", said Tink.

"So today I see we pick out our classes, have to get our books, check out where our classes will be and some fun activities later", said Regina.

"That should be good", said Tink.

"So what part of Boston did you say you lived in again"? said Regina.

"Back Bay", said Tink. She did her research and knew that Regina had lived in Beacon Hill. She may know Back Bay but not as much as Beacon Hill.

"That is where all the great shops are", said Regina. "Did that inspire you to become a designer"?

"Yes it did actually", said Tink. What she did not mention was that she worked in one of the stores there and that was the actual inspiration.

"We should go there one day and shop there", said Regina.

"Yeah sure", said Tink. She hoped that Regina would not keep her to that, but she did not have to worry about it now.

They walked to Mallory's dorm and gave her the fruit and tea. Mallory was all dressed and ready to go get the books. Regina and Tink had to go back and get some money, so they told Mallory to meet them at their dorm room in 15 minutes.

"What will you guys pick as a major"? said Mallory.

"A BFA in costume design", said Tink.

"You want to make costumes for movies and TV and the like"? said Regina.

"Maybe or maybe make a clothes line for some major stores. I'm not sure yet. I thought I would take this major first and see if I like it. I think a lot of the classes here would apply for either career path", said Tink.

"True," said Regina. "I am majoring in Philosophy and Political Science with a minor in English. I did my research and thought I would pick a little of each to cover all bases. As you may suspect, I want to be a lawyer".

"I'm undeclared. so I will just take me basic classes now and decide later", said Mallory.

They found out they needed to go to the College of Arts and Sciences building. No matter what their major is, all freshman had to go there to meet with an advisor and pick out their classes. Basically, most of their classes would be similar because they were taking what is called core classes, all basic classes that Freshmen and Sophomores must take.

They were all split up as they had to stand in line based on their last name. Finally Regina was able to meet with an advisor. "Hi Regina", said the advisor. "My name is Mrs. Hodges. I will be your advisor for the first two years of university. Once you are officially enrolled in your major at the end of your sophomore year, you will receive an advisor in your major. I see you are already interested in majoring in Philosophy and Political Science. Do you want to become a lawyer"? said Mrs. Hodges.

"Yes I do", said Regina.

"That is a good course of action to take. Well as you may know you have to take a group of core classes the first two years. That is a total of 20 classes. You will take 5 classes a semester. This is the list of classes you must take by discipline. We recommend you pick 5 top choices and a 2nd and a 3rd choice for each class as they fill pretty quickly and cannot always guarantee your top choice. Do you have any questions"? said Mrs. Hodges.

"No, I think I am good", said Regina.

"Good luck. Here is my card if you need to contact me. My office hours are listed on the bottom. If you cannot attend at those times, call me and leave a message and we can work something out. Take care and bye", said Mrs. Hodges.

"Bye. Thank you", said Regina.

Regina left and saw Tink. They did not see Mallory yet. But they had to get in another line again based on their last name, so they agreed to all meet when they were done. It seemed like forever she was on line. And she also discovered that they were not getting their books today as they had thought. The classes would be decided by the end of the day today and they would receive their assignments in their room by a letter early tomorrow morning and they could pick out their books after that.

Finally Regina got to the front and got a scantron like form and she filled it out like the advisor told her to. While waiting on line, she looked at the catalog, numerous times and tried to see if she could get in the later sessions of classes. She did okay in the morning but was not an early bird. Her top choices were: writing 101, American Literature 101, Poli Sci 101, Psych 101 and Bio 101. Alternates were: English Literature 101, Sociology 101 and History 101.


	31. Chapter 33

**Mary Margaret's POV**

It was the next day at Glenwood Military Academy. Mary Margaret had not slept well because she did not hear from Regina. She knew they had not been close but she did promise to call her. She wondered to herself what should she do. Should she try to contact the college and see if she could find her number?

At the orientation, Mary Margaret was given a schedule for the next two days. Today she was going to meet with her advisor and get her schedule set up. She was also going to visit the "Range" as they called it and Captain Humbert was going to do a presentation/tutorial with the rules and all. There was also going to be a Formation orientation and a presentation about the JROTC. Later they were going to have some mixers for the new and returning students. It was definitely a full day.

After breakfast all the freshmen and new cadets met at the Admissions office to wait in line by their last name and waited to be called to be seen by the academic advisors.

Finally Mary Margaret was called. Her advisor was a young woman named Ms. Thomas. She introduced herself and said, "Hello Mary Margaret. I see your grades here from your last school. They are excellent. You should have no problem with the academics here. This is the list of the courses Freshman traditionally take. Each semester you will also be required to take courses relating to the Military. This semester will be Introduction to American Military History. You can also take one elective. Here is the list of electives. Pick one and then I will make up your schedule".

"Excuse me", said Mary Margaret. "It may be a mistake that I am here".

"Perhaps, but since you are here in the meantime, you should do everything you can to settle in and that includes making your schedule. Did you need a few minutes to review the electives?" said Ms. Thomas.

"No that is fine. Thanks", said Mary Margaret. She decided to pick a basic art class. She wasn't the most talented of artists, but she loved painting and other arts, she found it very relaxing.

"Did you pick something"? said Ms. Thomas.

"Yes this Basic Art class", said Mary Margaret.

"There is still space in that class and a good choice", said Ms. Thomas. "You are also aware you must participate in a sport. It doesn't have to be competitive but we want our cadets to be in top physical shape and sports is a great way to do that".

"I'm not really that athletic", said Mary Margaret.

"We have Club sports, which are just for fun and not interscholastic competition. We offer them in swimming, Basketball, weight training, and Tennis", said Ms. Thomas.

"Swimming I guess", said Mary Margaret.

"Okay. Give me a few minutes and I will give you your schedule", said Ms. Thomas.

"Thank you", said Mary Margaret.

Soon Mary Margaret was done. There was a half an hour break until lunch. Mary Margaret went back to Ms. Bank's office and asked her if she got a call. "Hi. No I didn't get a call for you. Come back during your lunch break, okay"? said Ms. Banks.

By the time she was done, it was time to go back to lunch. She hadn't seen her roommate Susan since breakfast. She looked for her in the dining hall but it was so busy. She found an empty table and took a seat after she got her food. Some other cadets joined her there. They all knew each other but didn't include her in the conversation. At the same time though they didn't make her feel she had to leave. Mary Margaret ate quickly and went back to Ms. Bank's office.

"Your sister did call. She is calling back in 10 minutes, so you can just have a seat here", said Ms. Banks.

"Thank you", said Mary Margaret.

Ten minutes later Regina did call. "Hi. I'm glad you called. I been trying to tell the people here that it is a mistake that I am here", said Mary Margaret.

"Hi. Yes about that. It is not a mistake", said Regina.

"What? Why would you put me in a Military Academy"? said Mary Margaret.

"To broaden your experiences? It is a top notch Military school", said Regina.

"But I don't want to go to a Military School. I don't have to go back to my old boarding school, any other one would do, but I don't think this is for me", said Mary Margaret.

"You haven't given it a chance. Anyhow I am really busy here with my classes. You'll do fine", said Regina.

"Also can I have your phone number"? said Mary Margaret.

"Yes sorry I got to go, I'll give it to you when I call next time. Bye", said Regina before Mary Margaret had a chance to say anything else.

It was almost time to go to the "Range" for their orientation and demonstration. This was the part of school she was least interested in but she was curious to see Captain Humbert again. Cadets were told to sit on the grass. Despite the fact that it was called a shooting range, it actually was an archery range. Captain Humbert explained because of injuries a few years back, they no longer use any sorts of guns, pellet or real ones. So they learn on the archery course to improve their aim and practice hitting targets. Part of the Athletic time on their schedule was for their assigned sport, working out and time at the "Range".

Freshmen were all automatically put in the beginner class and they were tested and based on their skill level, they may move up to intermediate, but they cannot be advanced until at least the second semester of their sophomore year.

Finally they were all done and ready to go to a workshop about Formation time. At the beginning of the workshop, they were told that they had their uniforms ready to give to them at the end of the workshop and how they would get them. Mary Margaret learned Formation had to do with proper salutes and attention to the headmaster and his assistant. There was also a dorm room check of their beds and clothing. This was done twice a day.

After that, they had an hour of free time. Mary Margaret went back to her dorm room to relax. She saw Susan was there. Susan asked her what sport she joined.

Mary Margaret said, "I'm not that much into sports, so I did the swimming club".

Susan said, "What you are not into sports? Everyone in my family is into sports. I'm doing Basketball. I'm trying out for the Junior Varsity team".

"Oh ok. Good luck then", said Mary Margaret.

"And isn't Captain Humbert cute"? said Susan.

That was something they agreed on. "Yes he is cute", said Mary Margaret. Mary Margaret asked if she could join her for dinner. Susan said, "Yes", but she did not say anything else. When she went to sit with Susan and some of her new friends, she waited for Susan to introduce her but she didn't. They ignored her most of the time. Mary Margaret was disappointed but too tired to care. They were having some sort of mixer at the Gymnasium. Mary Margaret figured she would go for a little bit. Maybe she would meet some nice kids there.

She arrived and it was already crowded with kids. There were so many there. Everyone was required to wear a nametag. She grabbed one and then grabbed a soda. She saw a few kids sitting on the bleachers. She noticed one or two that were not talking to anyone. She approached one of them. The girl said, "Hi. Yes I'm just waiting for my friend. I'm Dawn".

"Where you from"? said Mary Margaret.

"Connecticut. You"? said Dawn.

"Maine", said Mary Margaret.

"Are you into sports"? said Dawn.

"Sorry not really. Are you"? said Mary Margaret.

"Yes I love all sorts of sports. I like tennis, Basketball, Soccer and more", said Dawn. "Anyhow my friend Elizabeth is here. You can join us if you like".

"Okay", said Mary Margaret.

"Anyone else in your family attend Military School?" said Dawn.

Before Mary Margaret had a chance to answer, Elizabeth came over and started talking to Dawn. A minute later Dawn introduced Elizabeth to Mary Margaret. She said hi to her but went back to talking to Dawn. Two minutes later Dawn said, "Sorry, Elizabeth was just telling me about her brother who goes here. Turns out he is a favorite of Captain Humbert. I wanted to hear more about him", said Dawn.

"That sounds interesting", said Mary Margaret. "What did you learn"?

"He's just as nice as people say. And he does not have a girlfriend"? said Dawn.

"Yes Dawn, but the chance of him dating one of us, a lowly freshman"? said Elizabeth.

"Yes we can dream though right"? said Dawn.

Then they were talking more about Elizabeth's brother. Mary Margaret was a little bit lost and they did not bother to explain.

"Sorry again. She was just telling me about her brother. He received an award in the JROTC", said Dawn.

"That's great", said Mary Margaret. "Congratulations to your brother".

"Thanks", said Elizabeth.

"I was asking Mary Margaret, if anyone from her family goes or went here", said Dawn.

"Yes so do you have any family members here"? said Elizabeth.

"My father went here and my brother probably will too in two years", said Dawn.

"No, no one else in my family", said Mary Margaret.

"How did you find out about it"? said Dawn.

"My sister found out about it", said Mary Margaret.

"Really. That's unusual. Not your parents"? said Elizabeth.

"Oh they are dead", said Mary Margaret.

"I'm sorry. So you live with your sister"? said Dawn.

"Yes but she is in college now", said Mary Margaret.

"That's nice. My sister is a freshman at University of Connecticut", said Elizabeth.

"Must be fun", said Mary Margaret.

"She just started, but I imagine yes", said Elizabeth.

They talked a little bit longer about Maine, Connecticut and some of the teachers they saw. Suddenly it was time to go. Dawn and Elizabeth said "goodbye" but did not say anything more about meeting again.


	32. Chapter 34

**Snow Day in NY..which means at least one more chapter for this story. Enjoy!**

**Mary Margaret's POV**

They had one more day off before classes started. Mary Margaret wished actually classes started today. It would be easier to meet others that way. She was never really by herself, eating meals with Susan and her friends but never really with anyone either as she was ignored most of the time. She decided to take a walk around campus. She saw a nice lake and a beautiful tree to sit under. She would have to revisit that later. She knew where her classes were. There were some more social events today but they were not required to attend. Mary Margaret decided to sit under that tree after all and read for a while. Later she headed back to her dorm to get ready for dinner. Feeling refreshed, she was not even bothered by not having to talk to anyone at dinner.

The next day they all had to get up early for formation and dorm inspection. She was nervous because she was not sure she did such a great job on her bed. The room did look organized though. The Assistant Headmaster said, "This room needs some work but it will do for today. By Friday, if it is not perfect, there will be demerits". It was Wednesday so they only had two days. Then it was formation. There were some issues with that too, but then they spent some time practicing this morning and they did yesterday, and they were told it should be perfect by Friday too. Finally it was time for breakfast and then classes.

Mary Margaret's first class was English, which she loved. They were told when they got to class, that they must sit in alphabetical order. So she ended up sitting in front of a girl named Rachel Collins. Since they both got there early, they had a few minutes to talk. Rachel tapped her on her back and introduced herself. "Hi. I'm Rachel Collins and you are"? said Rachel.

"Mary Margaret Blanchard. Nice to meet you", said Mary Margaret.

"Where you from"? said Rachel.

"Maine, you"? said Mary Margaret.

"Connecticut. Outside of New Haven", said Rachel. "So what brings you here"?

"My sister"? said Mary Margaret.

"Oh she went here too"? said Rachel.

"No. It was her idea for me to come here", said Mary Margaret.

As Rachel was about to ask her another question, class was about to start. Rachel said that she would talk to her after class. The teacher, named Mr. Glover was strict but seemed fair. He explained that there would be a lot of papers in his class, but Mary Margaret is a good writer. Finally class was over. Rachel walked with Mary Margaret out of class and said, "You must explain what you mean about your sister's idea for you to come here".

"Yeah. Long story. Basically she is my guardian and she thought it would be a good way to get rid of me, I suppose", said Mary Margaret.

"Really? Sorry", said Rachel.

"Why are you here"? said Mary Margaret.

"My whole family has gone here, well at least all the males in previous generations and in this generation both males and females. I come from a large family. I have 5 brothers and sisters. That's 3 brothers and 2 sisters. My father is a military man just as his father and grandfather were and maybe even before him. Anyhow my father believes even if we are not to pursue a military career, it is a good experience to attend Military school, to learn what the Military way of life is about and appreciate what my father and now some of my brothers do. I do not plan to pursue a military career and get to leave after my sophomore year", said Rachel.

"That's good", said Mary Margaret. "I'm going to Math class next and you"?

"World History 1. I have lunch at 11:30 and you"? said Rachel.

"Me too", said Mary Margaret as she smiled. "So we should meet then"?

"Yes that would be great. Let's meet by the entrance at 11:30", said Rachel.

"See you then", said Mary Margaret.

Before lunch she had Math and Military History 1. Math was not her favorite subject and Military History would be okay, she guessed. Finally it was lunch. She met up with Rachel. "Hi Mary Margaret", said Rachel.

"Hello. How were your classes"? said Mary Margaret.

"Okay I guess", said Rachel. "So did you meet anyone else"?

"Not really, you"? said Mary Margaret.

"No. Let's get in line quickly and then find a table", said Rachel. They got in line and got their food which did not look so appetizing.

"Yes as I said, I have not really met anyone", said Rachel. "Most of the other guys and girls seem really enthusiastic about being here. As I said, I don't mind but I am not very athletic which seems to be very important here. Are you"?

"I'm not athletic either", said Mary Margaret. "At least we can be that way together. So what sports activity are you doing"?

"Swimming club. And you"? said Rachel.

"Me too", said Mary Margaret smiling. "So we have that together too".

"Yes. Do we have any other classes"? said Rachel.

"I have Biology next. And you"? said Mary Margaret.

"Me too. That's great", said Rachel. So they went off to class together.

Before they knew it, it was time for Swim club. They went back separately to their dorms to grab their suits and a towel. They met at the locker room and changed for the pool. "You'll have to tell me more about that sister of yours later", said Rachel.

"Yeah sure", said Mary Margaret who was really hoping she would not remember to ask her about it. Swimming was fun and then they went back to change. Mary Margaret asked her about her roommate.

Rachel said, "Her name is Tina. She is also very athletic and into Military History and all. Basically we have nothing in common. So you want to meet for dinner?"

Mary Margaret said, "Yes that would be great. Thank you". They met for dinner and had a nice conversation. Mary Margaret was happy that this was a better day than her last two.


	33. Chapter 35

**Note: I researched that the drinking age changed in Connecticut from 18 to 19 in 1982 and gradually to 21 in 1985. So our girls in the story just missed drinking legal as Freshman by a year. **

**Regina's POV**

Regina was all done picking her classes. She was told that she would find out either tomorrow or the following day which classes she was admitted to. She saw Tink and was looking around for Mallory. It turned out Mallory was not done yet. So Tink and Regina decided to sit and chat for a little bit.

"Do you think you got all the classes you wanted"? said Regina.

"I probably got the classes I wanted but not necessarily the times I want", said Tink.

"So you don't want early classes either"? said Regina.

"Who does"? said Tink. "At least no one I know".

"What core classes did you pick"? said Regina.

They discussed the classes and it turned out they both picked the same History class. But they might not get in the same section. About 10 minutes later, Mallory came over. They also discussed classes and Mallory and Regina picked the same literature class but again not sure if they would be in the same section.

"My friend and her roommate are too tired to come to this dining hall for lunch, but they would meet us at our dining hall for dinner. Maybe we can also meet them at their dining hall sometime", said Mallory.

"You'd travel that far"? said Regina.

"Once in a while, yes", said Mallory and she laughed.

They went back to their dorms to relax until dinner time. Finally it was time for dinner and they waited at the front of the dining hall for Mallory's friend and her roommate. They got there before the other two students, so the three of them waited a few minutes. Finally two young ladies appeared. One was a tall, skinny dark haired one and the other was an African American one with medium length curly hair. It appeared that the African American one was the one who was friends with Mallory because she gave her a big hug.

"Regina, I want you to meet Ursula. Ursula meet Regina. I've been talking about you guys to each other", said Mallory.

Regina remembered that Mallory did talk about Ursula on occasion, how she is her closest friend in school and that her father is also a Senator. Regina felt a little bit jealous at that moment. Mallory got to see Ursula a lot more than Regina got to see her. "Hi Ursula. Nice to meet you", said Regina. "This is my roommate Tink".

Ursula shook both their hands and said, "Nice to meet you both too. This is my roommate, Ruella, well she goes by Rue".

Rue stepped forward and said, "Hi. Yes I prefer Rue. It better suits a model than Ruella, don't you think"?

Regina said, "Hmm a model and a fashion designer in our mix. Perfect combination".

Rue said, "Who is the fashion designer"?

Regina said, "Well it is our very own Tink here".

Rue said, "How exciting. Let's go inside and go on line and then we can find a table". About 20 minutes later they all sat down. It appeared the stir fry was the meal of choice for all of the girls. Rue explained how she became a model. Her mother was a model when she was younger and her father is a big Hollywood producer. She became a model at 16 and had a few ads for Jordache jeans in Seventeen magazine. Regina and Mallory had seen the ads but didn't recall who was the model.

Mallory said, "Then why did you come to school here if you are a successful model"?

Rue looked at her strangely, "What"?

Mallory said, "No what I mean is, you are a successful model, wouldn't it be better to be modeling in beautiful warm LA than be in school here"?

Rue said, "Oh. My father said if I want to continue modeling, I must attend at least 2 years of college. My dad grew up in Connecticut and University of Connecticut was his alma mater. He thought it would be a good place for me to go. It's a little far but not out of the question if I want to model sometimes on the weekend and during days off in New York City".

Mallory said, "Anyhow I'm glad you are with us". The other girls agreed. Ursula mentioned she was from Maryland but she went to a boarding school with Mallory when they were sophomores in high school in New York".

Rue asked, "In New York City"?

Mallory said, "No someplace called Westchester".

They spoke a little more about themselves and their classes and what they wanted to do in school. At the end of dinner Mallory said, "Look what I got here for you guys. I realize now I don't have one for Rue or Tink". Mallory opens her purse and discreetly pulls out an envelope that contains 3 fake I.D.s. Regina and Ursula have smiles on their faces. Rue does too as she says, "I have one too from LA. So don't worry about me". The other girls were looking expectantly at Tink hoping she would say the same thing.

Tink said, "I don't have one".

Mallory said, "I'm sorry I didn't know about you guys before college and that is when I got them done. I can get you one but it will take a few days. So you won't be able to join us tonight, unfortunately".

Regina said, "For what to go to a bar"?

Mallory said, "Yes more specifically a pub but the same thing. I guess you can join us next time Tink".

Regina said, "Unless Tink you were not about to tell us you are already 19, hopefully? Anyhow,I know there is a liquor store nearby, I saw it. Why don't we just get some liquor and bring it back to our room"?

Tink said, "I'm not 19 yet. Stinks that they just changed the drinking age as we started school. But that is a great idea".

Mallory said, "I was really looking forward to going to the pub, but if we must, then fine".

Ursula said, "That's no big deal. We'll go to the pub soon when Tink gets the ID. Luckily we only need it for a few months. Who's turning 19 first"?

Mallory said, "Me. My birthday is February 19th".

Ursula said, "My birthday is April 4th".

Rue said, "Mine is not until September 14th".

Tink said, "Mine is October 2nd".

Regina said, "Mine is June 20th. Okay so our room it is. Who is getting the liquor"?

Mallory said, "Since it is your idea, why don't you get the liquor. Maybe some wine coolers or beers"?

Regina said, "Fine I'll do it. I'll get some of both". No one was really paying attention to them. It was really loud and they were not talking loud anyhow.

They left and Regina went to the store with her new Fake ID to get the wine coolers and beer. She was impressed with her ID. It had her photo but a different name and birthdate of March 6th 1963. Smart, it was only one year off. That was realistic. The worker at the register did not even give her a second glance. Everything was in brown bags, so it did not look suspicious. She got the stuff back to the dorm room along with some chips and dip she got too. An hour later, all the girls showed up.

They had a fun night. There were a lot of laughs, stories shared and fun. Before they knew it, it was 1 AM and the girls decided to go back to their dorms.


End file.
